Dani’s Pedrosa’s Japanese MotoGP tyre issue unveiled

Bridgestone have released the findings of an investigation into the front tyre issue that struck Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa during the recent Japanese MotoGP race.

The Spaniard still managed to finish in a brilliant third position behind Fiat Yamaha pairing Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, despite a chunked front tyre in the Twin Ring Motegi.

Details of the investigation were finally released by Bridgestone today, with Tohru Ubukata, Bridgestone Motorsport Manager of Motorcycle Race Tyre Development saying: “Since Motegi we have learned more about Dani’s front tyre.

“After a detailed inspection, we found a small foreign object that had become embedded within the tread of the front slick.

“This was the origin of a weak point in the tread of the tyre, which during the course of the race, worked its way to the surface, causing a crack to form in the rubber.”

The Japanese GP sparked a dramatic upturn in fortunes for Pedrosa, who has now claimed three successive podiums to thrust the 23-year-old firmly back into world title contention.