Brembo unveils the 2019 Thailand MotoGP

9/30/2019

 An in-depth look at the premium class' use of braking systems at Chang International Circuit

​​​​After the positive experience of 2018, the MotoGP is coming to Thailand for the 15th round of the 2019 World Championship that is held from 4th to 6th October at the Chang International Circuit. ​

It has been built with a 54 million Euro (60 million Dollars) investment and has been inaugurated in October 2014. It is called after the name of a local make of beer. The track has been designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke and it's 410 km (255 miles) North of the capital Bangkok, in the Buriram region, that in the local language means “town of happiness”. ​

Last year during all MotoGP sessions the air temperature remained always between 86°F and 90°F while that of ground fluctuated between 113°F and 129°F.​

The track's layout alternates very long straightways that end with a hard braking session with second and third gear curves where gaining the right pace is essential. ​

Various riders have noticed similarities with the Red Bull Ring, others with the Circuit of the Americas. Brembo's engineers, who assist 100 per cent of the MotoGP 2019 riders, believe that the Chang International Circuit is fairly demanding on the brakes. ​

On a scale of 1 to 5 it has earned 3 on the difficulty index, the same score given to Valencia, Misano and Silverstone. ​

 
 
 
 

The demand on the brakes during the GP

The MotoGPs turn to their brakes for 7 of the track's 12 corners, the same as for the Superbike: it’s different instead the brake usage during each lap, 27 seconds for MotoGP and 25 seconds for Superbike.​

The percentage the braking system is functioning during the race is 30 per cent for MotoGP and 28 per cent for Superbike. ​


Despite the carbon braking systems, the average peak deceleration for the MotoGP is 1.27 G exactly the same value for Superbike ​


Adding up all of the forces applied by a rider on the Brembo brake lever from the starting line to the checkered flag, the result comes in at more than 860 kg (1,896 lbs), over 160 kg (353 lbs) more than for the Superbike riders although the Superbike race is 6 laps shorter. ​

Instead the force applied during a lap is after all similar: 33.3 kg (73 lbs) for the MotoGP, 34.9 kg (77 lbs) for the Superbike. ​

 

The most demanding braking sections

Of the circuit's 7 braking sections 4 are considered very challenging on the brakes; while 2 are of medium difficulty and 1 is light. ​

The most challenging session of all for the braking system is the third turn, at the end of an almost one kilometer long straightway: MotoGP brake from 297 km/h (185 mph) to 79 km/h (49 mph) in 5.8 seconds during which they travel 282 meters (925 feet). ​

The riders apply a 5 kg (11 lbs) load on the brake lever undergoing a 1.5 G deceleration while Brembo's HTC 64T brake fluid reaches a 10.8 bar pressure. The speed entering the last turn before the finish line is even less (70 km/h or 43 mph): the bikes approach it going at 263 km/h (163 mph) and brake for 5.1 seconds traveling in that time 223 meters (732 feet). The load on the lever is 5.2 kg (11.5 lbs) and the deceleration is 1,4 G. ​

Although the speed falls to “just” 149 km/h (93 mph), the braking at the first turn approaches and also exceeds some of the third turn's values: the deceleration is 1.4 G, the load on the lever 5.2 kg (11.5 lbs) and the fluid's pressure 11.1 bar. ​

Neither the other track's 4 braking sections are to be overlooked, because the braking time is always more than 2.6 seconds long with 3.4 seconds peeks while the decelerations range from 0.9 G to 1.4 G. ​

 
 

Brembo performance


The only edition of the Thailand GP was won by Marc Marquez with Honda: the Spaniard won 52 MotoGP races all using Brembo brakes.​

The last victory of a bike in the 500 class without Brembo's brakes being fitted dates back to 21st May 1995.​

 
​