Pirelli with a new record in the debut of Austin / Moto3

The new Moto3 and Moto2 tire supplier Pirelli can be more satisfied after the Austin GP at the “Circuit of the Americas” (COTA). The Italians, who have also been involved in the Superbike World Championship for many years, have ensured with their 2024 specification that the lap times in both GP classes also decreased in Austin. As it was Pirelli’s first appearance in an international motorcycle race at the highly sought-after racetrack in Texas, they set off for the US with a degree of uncertainty about the safety of the newly developed compounds.

In the Moto3 class, winner David Alonso ran the SC2 medium tire front and rear. 21 of the 23 drivers on the grid chose SC2 at the front. The overall time in the Grand Prix was an impressive 22.5 seconds more than in 2023. This results in an improvement in lap times of approximately 1.6 seconds per lap.

Spaniard Daniel Holgado from the Red Bull GGAS-Tech3 team set a new lap record with 2:14.866 in the ninth out of 16. He beat teammate Aron Canet’s best from 2017 by 0.7 seconds.

In the Moto2 class, 27 of the 29 riders on the starting grid opted for the SC0 rear tyre. Only Bo Bendsnyder and Somkiat Chantra were out of line here. Up front, the medium SC2 tires were chosen by 18 drivers in the field. Other Moto2 players relied on SC1’s smooth compound. The overall race time of winner Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets MSI) on his Boscoscuro was 17 seconds faster than last year.

This meant that the race had an average speed of 1.1 seconds per lap. The new lap record now belongs to Alonso Lopez with Boscoscuro in a time of 2:08.210 – this time was 0.9 seconds faster than Aron Canet’s in 2022. So Canet lost both lap records in Austin.

Pirelli race director Giorgio Barbier is proud. “We are very pleased with how our tires performed in Austin. As always, our decision is based on objective data,” emphasizes Barbier. “Considering that this was our first race in Austin, these data are truly amazing results. The drivers are always getting faster – we can see everyone’s progress race after race. I would also like to emphasize that there are different frame concepts in the top 8 in Moto2 and the riders on the podium came from three different teams. That also means that the balance of power is very fair.

Barbier also says: “We are now focusing on the Spanish Grand Prix. Immediately afterwards we have a site test in Jerez, where drivers can travel more kilometers and get to know the best tires. There are still possibilities that we have to enter.”