The Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours spans an area of 350 hectares and can accommodate 139,112 spectators, a record capacity for French racetracks. This year’s event will mark the 25th round on this track, which has been used continuously since 2003.
GP data
According to Brembo engineers who work closely with 13 of the 14 teams in the Superbike World Championship, the 4.411 km long Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours falls into the category of highly demanding circuits for brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it has earned a difficulty index of 4 because each lap riders use the brakes 10 times for a total of 27 seconds. Two braking points are categorized as High, 6 as Medium, and 2 as Light.
The toughest corner of the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours for the braking system is Turn 5, known as Adelaide: at that point, Superbikes go from 296 km/h to 47 km/h in 5.5 seconds, covering 233 meters while riders apply a load of 6.2 kg on the brake lever. Both the 249 km/h speed reduction and the 5.5 seconds are record values for the entire season. The deceleration is 1.5 g, and the Brembo brake fluid pressure reaches 13.3 bar.
Three firsts for one
At Donington Park, Iker Lecuona achieved his first victory in the Superbike World Championship: the Spaniard succeeded on his 141st attempt, having competed since 2022. However, this is not a record wait, as Andrea Locatelli claimed his first and so far only triumph last year at Assen, during the 154th round. Lecuona, on the other hand, surpassed Chris Walker, who secured his first win in 2006 at Assen on his 131st attempt. During their first victories, they were riding Ducati, Yamaha, and Kawasaki respectively, all equipped with Brembo brakes.
Stay cool
The Brembo monoblock aluminum calipers, specifically designed for the Superbike World Championship, are machined from solid material and feature four pistons with a diameter of 34 mm. The outer body is equipped with cooling fins that aid in heat dissipation, increasing the surface area of the pistons exposed to air by up to 30 percent. However, if excessive overheating occurs, braking efficiency would be reduced, and the wear of pads and discs would rapidly increase.
That ventilation
Last July, in England, Ducati clinched its 22nd Constructors' title, as well as its 5th consecutive one, all with Brembo brakes. From 1998 to 2004, however, it did even better with a streak of 7 World Championship titles. At the time, the Ducati 999 reigned supreme, winning 63 World Superbike races: alongside the solid discs with a diameter of 320 mm, Brembo introduced ventilated ones with a diameter of 290 mm, but quickly discarded them due to their tendency to deform. Innovating also means having the courage to retrace your steps if the final result does not meet initial expectations.