The rubber option was stated to be only a backup for the hard tire with reinforced carcass for the re-asphalted Motegi track surface. Although the teams had rubber options throughout the weekend, they focused on soft and medium compounds during practice sessions.
Performance Difference in Sprint Races
Unexpected problems occurred in the sprint race, which differentiated the situation. Michelin recommended the use of a hard tire instead of a soft compound, and advocated for the use of a hard tire for the Grand Prix. The teams tested the hard tire during the extended warm-up session on Sunday morning. This showed that the tire should be a choice to be made quickly.
Fabio Quartararo spoke about the performance of the hard tire after the race:
The funny thing is that no one used it, and it turned out to be the best tire. It was a bit crazy.
Marquez spoke favorably about the reinforced tire.
Marc stated that the hard tire was good for qualifying:
This tire was also good for lap times. Normally, everyone thinks that another tire or another carcass offers better performance. But I think it was really great, and the performance it showed during the warm-up session was a big surprise for everyone.
Championship leader Jorge Martin expressed his impression of the tire's performance while admitting regret for not having tried it earlier in the race:
To be honest, I was impressed by the lap times we achieved. I felt much more stability and significantly better grip. It was really a very good tire. I don't think we will do the sprint race with this, but it was really very good. It was bad not having tried it beforehand.
What they said:
- WE COULD HAVE USED A HARD TIRE FOR QUALIFYING!
Figures
- Fabio Quartararo finished 15th in the 2026 MotoGP season with 66 points (Yamaha Factory Racing).
- Archive: Quartararo: Yamaha tests its chances in Japan (October 1, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
