Michelin withdraws Argentina MotoGP tyre compounds after failure

A shredded rear tyre on Scott Redding's Pramac Ducati during the weekend's fourth practice session prompted a pair of red flags and an investigation.

The original suggestion was that Michelin would withdraw the medium compound rear tyre, forcing riders to race on the hard, but it will now remove both.

They will be replaced by a new batch of mediums with a different, stiffer construction.

Riders will be granted an additional, 30-minute warm-up session at Termas de Rio Hondo circuit on Sunday morning to evaluate the new tyres, however rain is currently rated as a 70 per cent possibility.

After qualifying, the top three riders said they were prepared to wait for Michelin to investigate the issue, and agreed that safety was the priority.

"It looks like Michelin is working, or they will study, which tyre is the best one for the race," polesitter Marc Marquez said.

"We must understand well which tyre is the best one, but of course the first thing is the safety, that is the most important thing."

Valentino Rossi, who qualified second, indicated he would race with the incumbent medium if given the chance, while team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was keen to avoid a repeat of Redding's dramas.

"For sure it's not the easiest situation for the riders," he said.

"We all hope Michelin investigates well what is happening and in the future we will not have this problem because it is very risky for the riders."

UPDATE: Michelin released a statement on Saturday evening, detailing the situation. It reads as follows:

Following an incident with the rear tyre of Scott Redding's Ducati at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina - which saw the British rider safely park his motorcycle off the track with the tyre still inflated - Michelin, in agreement with Dorna, IRTA and all the teams, has on the grounds of safety taken immediate steps to withdraw both versions of the rear tyres that were available to all riders.

The medium and hard compound Michelin Slicks will now be replaced by the extra tyre.

Having an extra tyre ready is a compulsory requirement as stated in the rules and regulations of MotoGP.

The new tyre is designed with a stiffer construction, whilst still using the same medium compound that has been available this weekend.

To allow the teams to adapt the settings to the new tyre, all riders will have an additional 30-minutes free practice tomorrow morning, which will be followed by the already scheduled 20-minute morning warm-up.

Michelin will now assess the tyre and investigate the cause of the damage, before making any further announcement.