It is raining in Phillip Island, but the sun is peeking out through the clouds, the wind is blowing hard and everything seems to suggest that the track will dry out. Grooved tyres on the bikes, starting grid, just a few minutes to go and the technicians leave their decisions to the last minute. Shall we put slicks on? Another possible situation: dry track, the sky is cloudy, the threat of rain looms over the track and the MotoGP race is about to start. Tyres for a dry track or wet?
The impressive Phillip Island track is located on the island of the same name, in southern Australian next to the Bass Strait and lapped by the waters of the Tasman Sea. When the MotoGP World Championship visits these lands in October, the Australians are enjoying their spring – it is in the Sothern Hemisphere –, and the temperature is usually low, just 10ºC, like it is now. These conditions and along with the wind typical of the area – just a stone’s throw away from the sea –, and the constant threat of rain, can make the start of the MotoGP race here a real lottery. For this reason, the work of the teams at this track on race day is even more difficult and important. If the MotoGP race tomorrow is declared dry, the teams will have to carry out a lot of work at the start, to do which they have just five minutes.As soon as the red lights go out and the race starts, the mechanics in the garage disassemble the second bike, which at this time will be at the door of the garage, outside, with the same dry set-up as the bike on the track and they will start to set it up for rain. If the race is declared dry and then it starts to rain, in MotoGP the race is not stopped and what the riders do is, when they think that it is necessary, depending on the track conditions – as they are the ones who can best evaluate the situation – they pit, switch bikes and go back out on the bike with the wet set-up.The race startsThis is a very tense moment because as soon as the race starts, the Repsol Honda Team mechanics must work against the clock, with a margin of just four or five minutes, to get the second bike ready in case it rains. During this time, they must change the suspension – front and rear –, the tyres, brake discs and pads and the electronic set-up of the engine, to get the second bike ready to compete.Under normal conditions, if the sky seems bright and clear, they do not usually do anything with the second bike. But in places like here in Australia, in England, Holland or Malaysia, where the weather is very changeable, they usually make this switch very quickly so as not to take any risks. The team has updated information from the main weather websites, they check the atmospheric pressure – if it drops, it could mean that it is going to rain – and they also contact the local airports in the area, as they usually have access to very accurate information about what is going to happen in a very short time. The overriding principle is, in case of the slightest risk of rain, the team quickly makes the changes. Obviously, if the sky is clear, the sun is shining and there is no sign of cloud, they leave the bike as it is, but constantly keeping an eye on the sky and weather forecasts.A very thorough and well-coordinated jobUp to five mechanics can be working on the bike at this time, including the engineers of the electronics of the bike and the Ohlins suspension technician. Each one of them has a specific task and together they make up a very experienced team that works very accurately under the pressure of the very little time they have. This group of mechanics changes several components at the same time. The tyres are changed to grooved, for water, to push out the water when the tyre comes into contact with the track. The compound is much softer than those used for a dry track. Significant changes are also made to the suspension. In the front, the springs and loads are changed, to give the rider a softer suspension that provides more grip at the front. And at the rear, the monoshock is replaced with a softer one, also seeking to increase grip. At the front, the carbon brake discs and pads are replaced with stainless steel ones, as the carbon ones do not work at low temperatures and in the wet. While the mechanics make these changes, the engine and electronics engineer makes the necessary adjustments to deliver the power more progressively and smoothly in order to adapt its response to the new track conditions. What cannot be changed – there is not enough time – is the gears; they must stay as they are. If practice sessions have not been held in wet conditions over the weekend, the team usually uses the base wet set-up data and makes small adjustments depending on the track. As regards the fuel tank and the litres it contains before the race, although consumption is always lower in the wet than in the dry, at this time, no fuel can be taken out, so the rider goes out on the track on the bike with the wet set-up with a full tank, and the rider must bear this in mind, as with a full tank, these bikes do not have the same performance in turns or changes of direction than when a few litres have been used.And if the race is declared wet just as it starts?This can also happen. The rider is on the starting grid, like the rest of his colleagues, with the set-up for dry tracks and a few drops start falling, then more… and the Race Organisers declare a wet race. Then, the mechanics must work quickly to make a few changes and provide the rider with a bike to tackle such as stressful race start.This can also happen and in these cases, there is only time to change the tyres and brakes, make minimum adjustments to the suspension set-up and tweak the electronics of the bike. The aim here is to balance the bike to give the rider the best they can under the circumstances. Obviously the set-up will not be ideal but all the riders on the grid are in the same situation and the team that knows how to fine-tune the set-up best will give their rider a small advantage.Although today’s MotoGP qualifying session was held on a dry track, anything could happen at Phillip Island tomorrow and the Repsol Honda Team mechanics will be on the alert to react rapidly to any situation that arises. At Phillip Island, anything can happen as far as the weather goes. Will it be heads… or will it be tails?
