In response to rider requests made last season, Bridgestone brought their asymmetric rear slicks to Laguna Seca this year. The performance improvement provided by these tyres was also highlighted by a new lap record set by Ducati Team’s Casey Stoner, who finished second, whilst a resurgent Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi grabbed the final step of the podium from Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso.
Every rider favoured the softer option asymmetric rear slick tyre which featured the improved-for-2010 medium compound rubber to offer better warm-up performance. Its increased level of performance at higher temperatures was the reason it was sufficiently durable for race distance even as the track temperature reached 44 degrees.
Last year the top five riders used the harder rear, but this year all riders used the softer option which is a good comparison of the improved durability of this improved medium compound. As a further performance indicator, during the morning’s warm-up session when the track temperature was just 21 degrees Celsius, Lorenzo and Stoner both went quicker using the asymmetric rears than last year’s fastest race lap.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “I am happy with the overall result here as it shows that we have a good process of turning rider feedback into positive action, the results of which have been very good here this weekend. I’d like to congratulate Jorge for his sixth win of the season, and also to Casey for setting a new lap record here. It is great to see Valentino back on the podium again too.”
Tohru Ubukata – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department “The consistency and level of performance of our softer asymmetric rear slick tyres was good this weekend so I am very happy. Not only did Casey set a new lap record, but his fastest lap was more than 0.5seconds quicker than the best lap from last year’s race and the total race time was over six seconds faster, both of which are good indicators of the improved performance provided by our asymmetric slicks here at Laguna.”
Jorge Lorenzo – Fiat Yamaha Team – Race Winner “This is very special. I made a good start but was overtaken on the outside into turn one. I tried to overtake as soon as possible and once I was in third I thought ‘now we are here and can push’. This track was very painful for me last year so for this it was important to finish, and we won so now I have more points for the gap in the championship which is so nice."
