Welcome back Argentina: all the MotoGP braking moments

3/29/2022

How Brembo brakes are used at Termas de Rio Hondo and a focus on GP4 calipers for riders and enthusiasts

After a two year break due to the pandemic, MotoGP is returning to Argentina and will be held at Termas de Rio Hondo for the seventh time. According to Brembo engineers, this circuit has a medium level of difficulty for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it is rated 3 on the difficulty index.

The track has not been used for several months which means that the MotoGP riders will be faced with very dirty asphalt and zero grip. Grip will only improve as the sessions increase, allowing the riders to be bolder when accelerating as well as when braking.

Super lightweight and optimum cooling for Brembo MotoGP calipers 

Brembo 4-piston monobloc calipers for MotoGP will be in action for the first time at Termas de Rio Hondo. Introduced in 2020, they are made from a single block of billet machined aluminum. Compared with casting, billet machining allows for the use of materials with better mechanical characteristics and better 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 have several cooling fins and are lighter than previous models. The surface finish has a nickel filler.

MotoGP technology for street-legal motorcycles too

Ever since it first went into world racing in the 1970s, Brembo has used races to develop new technical solutions which, once they have proved to be successful and reliable, are used in mass production.

The Brembo High-Performance brake calipers, with unparalleled braking performance and stability, derive from the company's 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 very best, its lightness, stiffness, cooling, design and performance make it stand out from competitors' products.

Here are 7 reasons why you should switch over to the new Brembo GP4-RS caliper, the queen of the racing track.

Two completely different halves

On 8 of the 14 corners at Termas de Rio Hondo, the MotoGP riders use their brakes for a total of 30 seconds per lap, the same as Mugello which is almost half a kilometer longer. From the start to the checkered flag, the brakes are used by each rider for more than 12.5 minutes, 31% of the total race time.

The harshest deceleration all takes place in the first 5 corners of the Argentinian track. On the others, the drop in speed is less than 110 km/h (68.3 mph) and the stopping distances are less than 140 meters (459 feet). The force that each rider applies to the brake lever from the starting line to the checkered flag totals just over 700 kg (1543.2 lb), the second lowest value in the season after the Australian GP.

Over 6 seconds for just one braking section 

Of the 8 braking sections at the Autódromo de Termas de Rio Hondo, only one is classified as demanding on the brakes, 6 are of medium difficulty and the remaining one is light.

Corner 5 is the most difficult one to tackle because riders come onto it after a 1,076 meter (1176.7 yards) long straight section where the MotoGPs reach up to 320 km/h (198.8 mph): the turn forces the riders to slow down to 76 km/h (47.22 mph) using the brakes for 6.3 seconds with a load of 4.8 kg (10.5 lb) applied to the Brembo master cylinder lever.

And in the video games?

To tackle Corner 5 at Termas de Rio Hondo in the MotoGP videogame you have to start braking roughly one second before passing underneath the billboard and move down to 2nd gear at the same time. Only once you have almost finished braking, you have to move onto the right keeping a meter from the curb. Wait about 3 seconds before straightening out.