Brake Use During the GP
Just like the Phillip Island track, the Chang International Circuit features 12 curves and 7 braking points. However, both the curves and the braking are completely different to those on the Australian track, which benefits from milder temperatures since it is located near the ocean.
The first section on the Thai track is characterised by long straightaways and stop-and-go braking, while the part in the middle features rounder curves that are closer together. The 4,554-metre lap ends with another violent braking section.
During the course of one lap the riders apply their brakes for almost 25 seconds, which is four seconds more than Phillip Island. This holds true despite the fact that the lap average is identical on both tracks: 176 km/h (109 mph). The brakes are used for almost eight minutes and 15 seconds throughout the 20 laps of the race, which when combined with the air temperature, can translate into a dangerous rise in the temperature of the steel discs.
The average deceleration of 1.27 g per lap is particularly high for bikes: it is not a coincidence that this statistic is higher than those registered on 18 tracks used in the MotoGP World Championship.
Adding up all the forces exerted by a rider on the brake lever from start to chequered flag gives a value of almost 700 kgs (1,543 lbs).
