At Portimão, Brembo brake fluid pressures are sky high

4/19/2022

Everything you ever wanted to know about Brembo master cylinders for the Portugal MotoGP and your bike

After a set of four races in Asia and America, the MotoGP arrives in Europe for the 17th edition of the Portuguese GP, and the third to be held at the Algarve International Circuit. According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all the MotoGP World Championship riders, the Algarve international Circuit is a moderately demanding one for brakes.

On a scale of 1 to 6, it has been awarded a difficulty rating of 3; the constant ups and downs make it difficult for riders to calibrate their braking, with the risk of going too long on the downhill sections or braking too early on the uphill sections. As such, it is crucial to ensure that the bike is equipped with a good master cylinder, and to adjust this according to individual requirements.

No friction or locking with the Brembo radial master cylinder for MotoGP

All 24 MotoGP riders use the Brembo radial master cylinder. Both the strength of the fingers on the brake lever and the strength of the lever itself move in the same direction, i.e. radially, with regard to the point where the cylinder is fastened to the handlebar without generating friction or locking. This ensures that no energy is wasted.

Brembo filed the first radial master cylinder patent way back in 1985. It was produced to meet the needs of racing and especially the need for smaller dimensions. It was fitted on Eddie Lawson’s Yamaha YZR OW the year after, the very year he won the World Championship in the 500cc class.

MotoGP technology for street-legal motorcycles, too

Drawing inspiration from its extensive experience in MotoGP, Brembo created the R19RCS Corsa Corta radial master cylinder, perfect for both free-time road and track riders. One of its particular characteristics is the rider’s ability to adjust the free play (i.e. bite point) to three different levels.

In other words, the rider can adjust the stage during which braking is not active, determining the point when the braking system starts to apply pressure according to their own riding style, the conditions of the asphalt or the weather. With the R19RCS Corsa Corta, it is also possible to regulate the working wheelbase to improve the way the bike feels for the rider, who - depending on the conditions of the asphalt, weather and route - can choose their preferred setup.

Would you like to know more? Discover the benefits and uses of the Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta.

All the hardest braking sections at the start 

In 10 of the 15 corners of the Lusitanian track, MotoGP riders use their brakes for a total time of 32 seconds within the lap, which is equal to 33 per cent of the duration of the race. For the Superbike, the braking sections are the same, but the duration is different, with less than 31 seconds per lap, equivalent to 31 per cent of the total race time.

The three hardest braking sections on the track are all within the first five turns, although at corner 13, the loss of speed, distance and braking time are greater than at turn 3: meanwhile, the deceleration and the pressure of the Brembo brake fluid are lower. From the starting line to the checkered flag, each driver exerts a total load of just over 800 kg (0.88 t) on the brake lever.

Brake fluid at 14.1 bar 

Out of the 10 braking sections on the Algarve International Circuit, only one is ranked as demanding for the brakes; another of these is rated as being of average difficulty and the remaining 8 are not particularly challenging.

The hardest braking section for MotoGP bikes is the first after the finish line, due to a 969-meter straight: the prototypes must go from 336km/h to 120km/h in 4.7 seconds, during which they cover a total of 259 meters. To do this, the riders apply a load of 4.7 kg (12.3 lbs) on the brake lever and are subjected to deceleration of 1.8 G, while the brake fluid pressure soars to 14.1 bar.

And in the video games?

When approaching the first corner of the Algarve International Circuit in the MotoGP video game, take care to avoid over-braking or extending the braking section too far: braking must begin when the bike reaches the pit wall which appears on the right. If you find yourself on the left, you can use the raised marshals cage as a reference. Move up into second and then aim for the inside of the curve, steering clear of the curb to avoid losing traction.