Catalunya MotoGP: home to the Ducati legend

8/30/2023

 After the 2 editions held in June, the Catalunya GP returns in September even if it was held in the autumn in 2020 due to a late start in the championship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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After the 2 editions held in June, the Catalunya GP returns in September even if it was held in the autumn in 2020 due to a late start in the championship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all the MotoGP World Championship riders, the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit is a very demanding circuit for brakes.

On a scale of 1 to 6, it is rated 5 on the difficulty index, on a par with the Sepang International Circuit. The brake system is subjected to huge stress on the first corner due to the 1,047 meter (0.6 mi) long straight preceding it which results in the bikes reaching a speed of almost 360 km/h (223.6 mph). Almost all the other braking moments, on the other hand, are short and close together.



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Brembo was already present when Ducati's secured its first win

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On this track, 20 years ago, Ducati secured its first win in MotoGP: credit goes to Loris Capirossi who had a 3 second advantage on Valentino Rossi.

The winner’s Desmosedici obviously had Brembo brakes which Ducati has always been loyal to since it first made its debut in the World Superbike Championship in 1988. The Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer is the only one in the history of 500-MotoGP to have won exclusively with Brembo brakes.

The union between Ducati and Brembo has already extended to road bikes for decades and this year also involves MotoE: all the bikes in this category have a 338.5 mm diameter (13.3 inch), 6.8 mm (0.26 inch) thick T-Drive steel dual front disc with fins on the inner diameter to improve cooling. The GP4RR M4 32/36 front monobloc caliper machined from billet is also Made in Brembo as is the PR 19/18 radial master cylinder.

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Six more braking moments in MotoGP than F1

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On every lap of the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, riders have to use their brakes 10 times for a total of 32 seconds, 32% of the duration of the race. On the same track, the Formula 1 single-seaters use their brakes 7 times for 9.5 seconds per lap which amounts to 12% of race time and never more than 2.2 seconds per corner.

In 6 of the 10 braking moments in MotoGP on the other hand, the brake system is used for over 2.5 seconds and over 4 seconds on 3 turns. The deceleration of the motorcycle riders never exceeds 2G compared with double that of the drivers. From start to finish, each rider exerts over 900 kg (1.984 lb) on the Brembo brake lever.

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313 meters (342.3 yards) of braking

Of the 10 braking sections at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, 2 are classified as demanding on the brakes, 2 are of medium difficulty and the remaining 6 are relatively light.

The most demanding hard braking for MotoGP is on the first corner: the motorcycles go from over 340 km/h (211.2 mph) to 104 km/h (65 mph) in just 5.8 seconds and cover a distance of 313 meters (342.3 yards).

To do this, the riders apply a load of 6.2 kg (13.6 lb) to the brake lever and are subjected to a deceleration of 2 G, with brake fluid pressure reaching 12 bar.

 

And what about the video games?


To take on the first corner in the Catalunya GP in the MotoGP videogame, keep your eye on the green area on the edge of the track.

When the strip of grass on the left-hand side becomes a green area and a red and white curb appears, that is the sign that you must apply the brakes.

Move down into 2nd gear - even if some people get it wrong and stay in 3rd gear - and move towards the curb on the right-hand side with your upper body leaning into it without overdoing it because turn 2 is on the opposite side.