In recent years, the Italian company has introduced a solution that represents the pinnacle of braking technology: the carbon finned disc.
Birth and Development
To understand how revolutionary it is, we need to take a step back. In the 1990s Brembo brought carbon discs to the track for the first time, replacing steel ones. It was a radical change: lighter materials, higher operating temperatures, more powerful braking. That choice marked a historic turning point, to the point that today carbon is the standard in MotoGP. But Brembo didn’t stop there: from the traditional carbon disc came a new evolution, even more extreme and sophisticated—the finned disc.
At first glance it looks like a regular carbon disc, but the difference lies inside: a system of ventilation fins designed to better handle thermal stresses. The fins increase the heat exchange surface, allowing the disc to dissipate heat more efficiently and maintain stable temperatures even under the most demanding braking. But this is not just a simple mechanical trick: their geometry is the result of highly advanced research carried out in Brembo’s R&D departments. Every detail was defined through topological optimization, supported by FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis to ensure maximum structural strength, and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations to study airflow and refine heat dissipation.
The result is a disc capable of maintaining optimal temperatures even during the most violent braking, when riders decelerate from over 300 km/h to under 100 in just a few meters and seconds. The ideal operating window, between 250 and 850 °C, is managed more stably and effectively compared to traditional carbon, giving the rider precise and consistent braking. It’s a delicate balance, but fundamental to ensuring uncompromising performance on tracks such as Spielberg, Motegi, or Sepang, all famous for their heavy braking zones.
From a performance standpoint, the advantages are clear: the lightweight carbon construction (between 1 and 1.4 kg) reduces unsprung mass, improving the bike’s handling; the coefficient of friction increases with temperature without ever dropping, giving the rider the confidence to brake later and harder; optimized heat dissipation prevents fading and premature wear.
In other words, the finned disc is not just a technical refinement but yet another evolutionary leap in a journey that saw Brembo transform steel into carbon, and now carbon into an even more intelligent and refined system. It’s concrete proof of how research, when carried out with method and vision, can translate into a tangible on-track advantage.
From MotoGP to Superbike: when carbon is not allowed
MotoGP is not the only stage where Brembo experiments and innovates. In the World Superbike Championship, in fact, carbon is banned by technical regulations, and teams are required to use steel discs only. This hasn’t stopped the company from bringing the concept of the finned disc into this championship as well.
Today SBK riders can choose between different diameters (336 mm and 338.5 mm) and variable thicknesses, with versions up to 7.4 mm. Brembo has introduced ventilated steel discs, based on the same principle as carbon discs: increasing the heat exchange surface to better cool the braking system. However, due to the different material and manufacturing technologies, the fin geometry is very different from that used in carbon, while still aiming for the same goal: more effective heat dissipation.
The advantage over solid discs is significant: faster cooling, more stable temperatures, better braking performance, and reduced pad wear. This technology also draws on past experiences: ventilated discs were already successfully used twenty years ago in the AMA Championship, contributing to the victories of Ben Spies and Mat Mladin.
Today, that idea returns in SBK—evolved and perfected—to deliver top performance even within a different regulatory framework.
From the circuit to the road: finned T-Drive discs
Brembo’s philosophy has always been to transfer the most refined racing technologies to production bikes. This is how finned discs have found their way onto road-going motorcycles as well.
The Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia and Panigale V4 Tricolore were the first production sportbikes to be equipped with Brembo’s finned T-Drive discs, directly derived from World Superbike. With a diameter of 338.5 mm and a thickness of 6.2 mm, these discs offer a larger surface area and more efficient cooling, ensuring powerful and consistent braking even during the most demanding track sessions.
The particular “T” shape of the drive pins connecting the braking band to the carrier allows both radial and axial float, improving torque transmission, reducing overall weight, and increasing resistance to thermo-mechanical stress.
The result? Higher braking torque, superior efficiency, consistent performance, and reduced brake lever travel. On top of that, a racing look completes the “Pro” package that Brembo offers to the most demanding riders.
Racing as a laboratory for the road
The history of the finned disc once again demonstrates Brembo’s long-standing philosophy: using racing as an advanced laboratory where extreme solutions are tested and technology is pushed to the limit.
Every innovation developed on the track becomes the starting point for new products destined for the road, giving everyday riders a share of the same excellence that helps champions win in MotoGP and Superbike.