Brembo brakes are almost superfluous in MotoGP at the Sachsenring Circuit

6/15/2021

Interesting facts about the Brembo system used in the German GP and similar solutions for street-legal motorcycles.

After a year off, the MotoGP World Championship returns to Germany. In 1978, this was the country that was home to the first win in the premier class of a motorcycle with Brembo brakes: The winner of the legendary 22,835 km (14,189 mi) long Nürburgring circuit was Virginio Ferrari with the Gallina team’s Suzuki RG500.

According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all the MotoGP World Championship riders, the Sachsenring Circuit is a moderately demanding circuits for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it earned a 3 on the difficulty index, together with 8 other tracks.

No friction or locking with the Brembo radial master cylinder for MotoGP

All 22 MotoGP riders use the Brembo radial brake master cylinder. Both the strength of the fingers on the brake lever and the strength of the lever itself move in the same direction, i.e. radially, with regard to the point where the cylinder is fastened to the handlebar without generating friction or locking. This ensures that no energy is wasted.

Brembo filed the first radial master cylinder patent way back in 1985. It was produced to meet the needs of racing and especially the need for smaller dimensions. It was fitted on Eddie Lawson’s Yamaha YZR OW the year after, the very year he won the World Championship in the 500cc class.

MotoGP technology for street-legal motorcycles, too

Drawing inspiration from its extensive experience in MotoGP, Brembo created the R19RCS Corsa Corta radial master cylinder, perfect for both free-time road and track riders. One of its particular characteristics is the rider’s ability to adjust the free play (i.e. bite point) to three different levels.

In other words, the rider can adjust the stage during which braking is not active, determining the point when the braking system starts to apply pressure according to their own riding style, the conditions of the asphalt or the weather.

Would you like to know more?

Discover the benefits and uses of the Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta.

Lowest braking record

The tortuosity of the Sachsenring Circuit means that brakes are used only moderately: There are only 7 braking sections for a total 21 seconds per lap, 17 seconds less than the Sepang circuit. No other MotoGP track makes such limited use of the brakes both in absolute terms and as a percentage: 26% of the total duration of the race.

Of the 7 braking sections, only three use the brake system for at least 3 seconds. On another 3 corners, deceleration does not exceed 0.8 G. If we sum up all the forces applied by a rider to the brake lever from the starting line to the checkered flag, the total comes to just 750 kg (1,653 lbs), the third lowest figure after Silverstone and Phillip Island.

5.5 seconds with the brake lever pressed

Of the 7 braking sections at the Sachsenring, only 2 are classified as very demanding on the brakes, 2 are of medium difficulty and the remaining 3 are light.

The first corner is the most demanding both on the riders and the brake systems: The motorcycles approach at 290 km/h (180 mph) and come into the corner at 73 km/h (45 mph) after braking for 252 meters (275.5 yards). The riders hold onto the brakes for 5.5 seconds with a load of 5.7 kg (12.6 lbs) on the lever and are subject to a deceleration force of 1.4 G. .