MotoGP extends German practice time for Michelin

Sachsenring

MotoGP has added 10 minutes of extra running to both of Friday's practice sessions for the German Grand Prix, due to the resurfacing of the Sachsenring.

Under the revised timetable, Friday's first practice session will run from 09:50 to 10:45 local time, with the second following from 14:00 to 14:55.

MotoGP tire supplier Michelin will bring four instead of the usual three front and rear options to the event, which it will enter "a bit blind" due to a lack of data.

A brand new surface has been laid for 2017 and, due to noise restrictions at the circuit, Michelin has not been able to carry out any testing there with MotoGP machinery.

Michelin will bring front and rear asymmetric slick tires in Soft, Medium and Hard compounds, which will feature a harder left-hand-side, to cope with the stresses and attrition that side of the tire goes through.

Meanwhile, the right-hand-side will be a softer compound to heat up quickly and give optimum performance through the track's three right-hand turns.

Michelin chief Piero Taramasso is confident that Michelin has all bases covered.

"We are sure we have the tires to work well on the new layer and have prepared the compounds to the information we do have," he commented.