5 Curiosities About the MotoGP Americas Grand Prix

4/8/2024

 Third appointment with MotoGP on the track beloved by Honda.

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Due to the cancellation of the Argentina GP, scheduled for April 7th, the MotoGP teams remained in the paddock for two consecutive weekends. The World Championship resumes from Texas, the only remaining stop in the American continent. One of the distinctive features of this circuit is the 41-meter gap between the highest point, represented by the first curve with a gradient exceeding 11%, and the lowest.



 

The GP data 


According to Brembo technicians working closely with all MotoGP riders, the Circuit of the Americas, with a length of 5.51 km, falls into the category of circuits that are moderately demanding on brakes. On a scale of 1 to 6, it has earned a difficulty index of 3 because in the first 10 turns, the riders only use the brakes on 3 occasions, and just once more from turn 14 to 18. On average, brakes are used for 26% of the race.



 

Weight doesn't matter 


Alongside Italy, the USA is the nation that has had the most world champion riders in the premier class, with 6 in the 500cc and one in MotoGP. Yet, in the last 2 years, no American has competed in MotoGP: the last one was Garrett Gerloff, who raced in Assen (Netherlands) in 2021 replacing the injured Franco Morbidelli. Instead, the last American to compete in an entire MotoGP championship was the late Nicky Hayden back in 2015. 


More than sports bikes, Americans seem to prefer baggers, cruiser motorcycles equipped with side panniers and exaggerated windshields, with which they comfortably rack up miles upon miles. Since 2021, the King of the Baggers championship has been held, featuring motorcycles equipped with Brembo GP4-RR radial monobloc calipers, inspired by MotoGP calipers, acting on 330 mm diameter PISTABASSA discs. Also, the RMC BilletGP brake pump is made by Brembo because even on these behemoths, riders demand safety, reliability, and performance.



The toughest turn 


The toughest turn at the Circuit of the Americas for the braking system is Turn 12: MotoGP bikes go from 338 km/h to 65 km/h in 5.8 seconds, covering 293 meters while riders apply a brake lever load of 5.8 kg. The deceleration is 1.5 g, Brembo brake fluid pressure reaches 12.5 bar, and the temperature of the carbon discs rises to 690°C.




 

Marc's playground 


The Circuit of the Americas is one of Marc Marquez's favorite hunting grounds: on this track, in 2013, he became the youngest winner in 500-MotoGP, at 20 years and 63 days, riding a Honda equipped with Brembo brakes. The Spaniard remained unbeaten at this venue until 2018 and returned to win here in 2021. His average points at COTA are 20.5 points per GP, having raced there 9 times with only one retirement and a 6th place as his worst result. 



The most precise arm 


Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs who led them to victory in 3 Super Bowls in 2019, 2022, and 2023, was born in Texas. The twenty-eight-year-old is a lover of Italian cars, as evidenced by the Lamborghini Urus and the Ferrari 812 Superfast and F8 Tributo he owns. Three different cars but with a single brake manufacturer, Brembo, ideal for such a precise man.