Casey Stoner bemused by front tyre switch

By MCN
1 of 1

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner says he can’t understand why the MotoGP field will switch to a new softer construction front tyre from next weekend’s British Grand Prix onwards.

The Australian has so far struggled to get his factory Honda RC213V machine to suit the new tyre, which will be the only front spec available from the Silverstone round.

Stoner’s Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa launched a scathing attack on the tyre change after he tested the new front again earlier this week at the Catalunya circuit.

Pedrosa said the decision to switch to the new softer construction front was ‘unfair and unsafe’ after he encountered front-end chatter with the new spec rubber.

With the new front tyre not available to test at today’s Motorland Aragon test session, HRC decided not to attend the test, though Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl are present.

Stoner, who will retire at the end of 2012, has made no secret of his frustration that the previous standard front tyre was going to no longer be available.

He told MCN: “I don’t see any reason why we have gone to this new tyre. The standard tyre this year seemed to be working well enough and everyone was happy enough with it. So why we had to go to a new one I have no idea.”

Stoner said the new softer front tyre lacked stability under hard braking and he added: “We have to run a lot more front pressure to get any stability out of the tyre and then you go into the corner and it is very dull, it doesn’t do anything.

“There is no support, nothing as you go into the turn. Then if you put weight on the tyre the front wants to tuck.”

MCN

By MCN