Michelin to adjust MotoGP front tyre ahead of 2016 after test falls

A host of riders fell during Valencia's post-season test earlier this month, which new champion Jorge Lorenzo attributed to 'losing stability' at the front end.

Michelin technical director Nicolas Goubert acknowledged that the front compound was the focus for the coming months.

"Ninety per cent of the work is done," he said in an interview on the series website.

"On the front we still have work to do, we have a few months left and a lot more testing.

"There will be official tests and we have a couple sessions with them at different places and we'll use that to try and improve the package all together.

"I would say that the profile is fixed and we are going to play again with the compound.

"I'm talking about the front here, to try and give them more confidence.

"Even if the guys can be fast now, still they have to do that with a lot of confidence in order to be able to fight with the other guys during the races."

Michelin was last a MotoGP tyre supplier in 2008, and the change from Bridgestone coincides with next year's introduction of control electronics.

While the Valencia test represented the most laps the bulk of the field had run on both, Goubert said rider feedback was generally positive.

The fastest time, set by Honda's Marc Marquez on the second day, was just over one second slower than Lorenzo's pole time for the 2015 finale at the circuit, 1m30.011s.

"It was a very important test, everyone focused on 2016 already," he said.

"We had some very positive points as the laptimes were fast, we had 15 riders were within a second, between 1m31.0s and 1m31.9s.

"We still have some changes to make as for a lot of the riders it was nearly their first time on the Michelin product and they have to adjust their setting and modify their riding style a little.

"That's why we had some unfortunate crashes. But it was a great starting point with fast times."