Incandescent brake discs at Qatar GP. Brembo data explain why

3/23/2021

Features and methods of use of the Brembo braking system at the Losail International Circuit and similar solutions for your motorcycle

According to Brembo technicians, who work closely with all the MotoGP World Championship riders, the Losail International Circuit falls into the category of medium level difficulty for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it earned a 3 on the difficulty index, matched by other 8 tracks.

The GP is held under floodlights, which makes it possible to see the carbon brake discs become incandescent during the more abrupt turns. This phenomenon, even though rather frequent, cannot be seen during the other GP because of the sunlight which makes the chromatic change of the discs following thermal stress must less noticeable.

Top lightness and cooling for Brembo MotoGP calipers

The Brembo 4-piston monobloc calipers for MotoGP are made from a single block of billet machined aluminum. Compared to casting, billet machining allows for the use of materials with better mechanical characteristics and greater resistance to high temperatures.

The shape of the caliper body is conceived to optimize the mass/stiffness ratio using the topological optimizer, a computer program derived from 40 years of victories in 500/MotoGP. The calipers used from last year onward have a higher number of cooling fins and are lighter than in the previous years. The surface finish has a nickel filler.

MotoGP technology also for road motorcyles

Since its debut in world racing in the 1970s, Brembo has been using races to develop new technical solutions which, once they have proved successful and reliable, are transferred to series production. The Brembo High Performance brake calipers, unmatched in braking performance and stability, derive from experience on the track.

The Brembo GP4-RS caliper inspired by the monobloc used in MotoGP respects this philosophy. Designed for track enthusiasts and those who want the best, it stands out from competitors' products for lightness, stiffness, cooling, design and performance.

Here are 7 reasons to immediately switch to the new Brembo GP4-RS caliper, the queen of the tracks for next spring.
Discover more.

Every lap 12 braking sections, like only at Misano 

Only 4 of the 16 corners of the track (3, 8, 11 and 13) do not require the brakes intervention required: only the Misano Adriatico circuit has 12 braking per lap. For this reason, from the start to the checkered flag, the riders use the brakes 264 times, the highest value of all the Asian tracks.

Just like at KymiRing and Motegi, the brakes are used for 34 seconds per lap. In Qatar, the brakes are used for over 12 and a half minutes, which is equivalent to 30 percent of the race.

From almost 350 km/h to less than 100 km/h in a heartbeat

Of the 12 braking sections on the Losail International Circuit, three are considered very challenging on the brakes, five are of medium difficulty and four are light.

Thanks to the 1,068-meter (0.66-mile) straight that precedes it, braking at the first corner after the finish line is one of the most difficult in the entire World Championship: MotoGP bikes approach the corner going over 346 km/h (215 mph) and have to slow down to 98 km/h (61 mph) applying up to 5.1 kg (11.2 lbs) on the brake lever. To set up the curve, the riders brake for 4.9 seconds and travel 263 meters (0.163 miles). The pressure on the braking system reaches 10.9 bar.