How likely is it that 11 teams, competing against each other, would each choose exactly the same manufacturer for their brake discs, brake calipers, brake master cylinders, and brake pads? Apparently, not very likely, but that is exactly what has been happening in MotoGP for the past 10 years.
For the last decade, all MotoGP teams have chosen to rely on the high levels of performance, reliability, and safety guaranteed by Brembo’s braking system components.
But if, in the 2024 season, all MotoGP riders will have access to Brembo braking systems, how will each rider find solutions that give them an edge over the others?
The answer lies in Brembo’s wide range of technical solutions, which will allow each rider to customize their bike's braking system based on their riding style, the characteristics of the track, and their race strategy, combining the best features of the braking components. But let's take a closer look at the braking system of a MotoGP bike.
One of the standout features of Brembo's MotoGP braking system is the GP4 caliper, a monoblock made from solid aluminum, with a 4-piston radial mount. Compared to components made using casting, the machining from solid offers better mechanical properties, ensuring greater durability and consistent performance even under extreme conditions.
One of its key features is the amplification system that generates additional force, supplementing the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid acting on the pistons. With the same amount of force applied by the rider on the brake lever, the braking torque is multiplied.
However, the GP4 caliper can also make a difference when the rider is not using the brake. Scientific studies have shown that sometimes the brake pads and disc make contact (or remain in contact) even without any pressure in the system, generating a phenomenon known as residual torque.
This is no small issue in a championship where positions are determined by fractions of a second. To address this limitation, the GP4 caliper is equipped with an anti-drag system, which prevents the pads from touching the disc when there is no hydraulic pressure in the system. This is achieved through a spring-loaded device.
Visually, the GP4 caliper is identifiable by the cooling fins on its external body, which increase the surface area of the pistons exposed to the air by up to 30%. This is a significant advantage, as it pertains to an area exposed to substantial thermal stress. Thanks to the fins, the heat generated during braking is efficiently dissipated.
The range of Brembo carbon discs is particularly diverse, with 15 variants, all 8mm thick and weighing between 1 kg and 1.4 kg. There are five different disc geometries, with diameters: 320, 340, and 355 mm for the most demanding tracks. Each disc type is available in three material specifications: Standard, High Mass, and Extreme Cooling.
As the name suggests, the Finned discs have internal ventilation channels to improve air circulation within the cooling chamber. Compared to solid discs, they offer better cooling, which has a positive effect on braking performance and pad wear.
The High Mass discs are characterized by a higher braking surface compared to the Standard discs, which have a lower surface. The height of the braking surface is linked to the temperatures the discs reach: when temperatures are lower, the Standard discs are preferable due to their lighter mass.
Power, responsiveness, and modulation: these are the requirements that riders demand from the master cylinders. This combination is what distinguishes the Brembo radial master cylinder, whose use results in a unique and inimitable feel during braking. In addition to great braking power, the Brembo master cylinder provides a linear relationship between the force applied on the lever and the braking response, essential for handling any racing situation.
In addition to the traditional front master cylinder, many riders also use a thumb master cylinder to control the rear brake by pressing a specific lever on the left side of the handlebars. Some riders use it in right-hand corners because, due to their riding position, they cannot reach the rear brake pedal. Others use it during corner exit to prevent the bike from lifting under acceleration.
There are two variations of the system with a thumb master cylinder: the most common features a single circuit for both the thumb master cylinder and the pedal, using a two-piston rear caliper. The alternative system has two separate circuits, each acting on two of the four pistons in the rear caliper. In the first case, one system excludes the other, while in the second, both can operate simultaneously.
Another variant of the classic thumb master cylinder is the push & pull master cylinder, characterized by dual functionality: it can be operated using either the thumb or the index finger, depending on the rider's preference. When used with the index finger, the master cylinder is mounted on the lever with a 180° rotation compared to thumb use. This increases modulation and grip on the lever during deceleration.
More than two-thirds of MotoGP bikes use Marchesini forged magnesium wheels, a brand that has been part of the Brembo group for a quarter of a century. Magnesium is one of the lightest metals, offering an excellent strength-to-weight ratio and ensuring high heat dissipation. Through 3D multi-forging, the weight is the same as carbon wheels, but with significantly superior safety standards.
Thanks to forty years of expertise, Marchesini wheels provide weight savings for the bikes, promoting acceleration and handling during direction changes. Their effectiveness is scientifically proven in braking at corner entry, as well as in cornering at high roll angles (up to 60°), and even in corner exit with the throttle open, always with the bike leaning.
Riders can choose between 5 Y-spoke wheels and 7-spoke wheels, both for the front and rear.
In conjunction with the carbon discs used in MotoGP, Brembo carbon brake pads are employed, offering a high friction coefficient and consistent performance, especially with elevated disc temperatures. Just like the carbon discs, the carbon brake pads have undergone various developments over the years, resulting in reduced wear and improved thermal conductivity.
The result is powerful, uniform, and stable braking throughout the entire race duration, both for traditional and Sprint races, making the occurrence of "brake fade" (lever elongation) less likely. Each pad weighs 50 grams, less than half the weight of a street pad, but is unlikely to last more than 1,000 km.
In addition to calipers, discs, pads, brake and clutch master cylinders, Brembo also supplies brake fluid to MotoGP riders. Two types are available: HTC64, which offers greater resistance to high environmental temperatures but lower hygroscopicity (the ability to absorb moisture from the air), and LFC 600, which is better suited to lower temperatures.
Winning debut with Ferrari (Virginio)
Brembo made its debut in the 500cc World Championship in the second half of the 1970s, equipping several private Italian teams. For Brembo, entering the top motorcycle championship was less striking compared to its Formula 1 debut a few years earlier as a partner of the most prestigious racing team in the world, Scuderia Ferrari.
During that period, Roberto Gallina, a former rider, came into the spotlight. In 1976, he founded Team Gallina. After a shocking retirement caused by brake failure while the team's motorcycle was leading ahead of more established riders, Team Gallina decided to switch to Brembo brakes for its Suzuki RG 500s.
With a custom braking system consisting of brake calipers, an axial master cylinder, and cast iron front discs, Virginio Ferrari won the West German Grand Prix, the final race of the 1978 World Championship. The following year, Ferrari started strong, securing a victory, four second places, one third, and one fourth in the first seven GPs, always with Brembo brakes. However, an injury prevented him from competing for the title, though he finished as the World Championship runner-up.
The new braking solutions win 3 world championships with Yamaha
In the early 1980s, the excellent performances achieved by Brembo on Team Gallina's motorcycles prompted other teams to start using Brembo brakes. In 1980, Cagiva prepared its first motorcycle for the 500cc World Championship and immediately chose to rely on Brembo brakes, although results were slow to come: their three victories occurred in the 1990s. The small Sanvenero team had better luck, winning the 1982 French GP in the 500cc class with Michel Frutschi, partly due to a boycott by many top riders, using Brembo's braking system.
The turning point for Brembo came in 1983, when Team Agostini, managed by 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini, decided to use Brembo brakes for their Yamahas. This partnership yielded great success as, in 1984, 1986, and 1988, Eddie Lawson won three World Championships, the first for a Japanese manufacturer using Italian brakes.
The end of the decade marked the introduction of a radical innovation by Brembo. We are talking about the Brembo radial master cylinder, first used on track in 1986 by the American's YZR 0W81. Within a few years, this type of brake master cylinder was adopted by all racing motorcycles and today has become the benchmark standard for all high-performance road motorcycles—a concrete example of technology transfer from the track to the street.
The innovations of the radial caliper and thumb master cylinder outshine the competition
In the early 1990s, Brembo had gained the trust of the most competitive teams in the 500cc class, so much so that from 1991 to 1999 only one Riders' Championship eluded Brembo: Mick Doohan won five titles, partly thanks to the thumb-operated master cylinder created by Brembo to compensate for the impairment of his right leg following the Assen accident.
At the end of the 1990s, it was time for another solution, initially considered unfeasible but destined to revolutionize motorcycle braking systems to this day: the radial caliper. The first to use it was the Aprilia 250 in 1998.
The unparalleled rigidity of the radial caliper resulted in greater braking sensitivity and allowed for the use of larger diameter brake discs. The paddock buzzed with talk of it, and in 1999, the latest generation Brembo caliper was used in the 500cc class on Aprilia and Suzuki motorcycles, and from mid-season also on Honda bikes.
From that moment on, braking on the track and the road would never be the same. In fact, most modern road motorcycles today are equipped with radial calipers.
From the 500 to MotoGP alongside Valentino Rossi
In 2002, the 500cc class was replaced by MotoGP: technology changed, moving from two-stroke to four-stroke engines, which altered both power delivery and engine power curves, and the weight of the motorcycles increased from 130 kg to 145 kg. What remained unchanged was Brembo's dominance, continuing its winning streak in MotoGP that began in the 500cc class in June 1995.
These were the years of Valentino Rossi's legendary era, as he claimed five consecutive titles and two more before the end of the decade, always with Brembo brakes, his faithful companions since his World Championship debut in the 125cc class in 1996.
It was also the period of Ducati’s MotoGP debut, with Casey Stoner winning the championship in 2006, breaking a 30-year streak of Japanese motorcycle dominance. One of Ducati’s key weapons was the Brembo braking system, featuring aluminum calipers with four opposing pistons and 320mm carbon discs.
100% of MotoGP is with Brembo
The 2010s were marked by the rise of Spanish riders, who claimed all the MotoGP titles, except for 2011 when Casey Stoner triumphed with Honda.
Jorge Lorenzo won three World Championships, while Marc Marquez won six, rewriting all the records for precocity in the premier class. Speeds increased dramatically, and in 2013, Brembo managed to secure the use of 340mm discs at the Japanese GP, historically one of the most demanding tracks.
In 2016, the Federation banned aluminum-lithium calipers for cost reasons, but despite a 10% weight increase and lower resistance, Brembo gained even more followers, equipping 100% of the MotoGP bikes starting that year.
Research did not stop, and riders could choose between light-duty calipers, optimized for standard pads, and heavy-duty calipers, designed for high-mass pads. The thumb-operated master cylinder also made a comeback, available in both single-circuit and dual-circuit variants.
Brembo brakes sprout wings
After 26 seasons, Valentino Rossi's motorcycle career came to an end in 2021: 115 GP wins, 235 podiums, including 23 consecutive, 65 pole positions, 96 fastest laps in races, 432 GPs contested, and 6,357 points, all with the support of Brembo brakes.
In 2020, the year of the introduction of the innovative Brembo GP monobloc aluminum caliper, machined from a single block with fins on the outer body of the caliper, Suzuki claimed victory with Joan Mir.
Meanwhile, technological advancements in materials led to carbon discs becoming the standard, even in heavy rain, compared to steel. Riders now have 10 disc options available: 5 disc geometries with two material specifications for each.
This unprecedented range matches the dominance of Ducati, which found a leading figure in Francesco Bagnaia, securing 2 World Championship titles for them.