Michelin upbeat about Misano progress

The French tyre manufacturer is facing pressure to improve its products on the back of Ducati Marlboro's recent domination of MotoGP with Bridgestone.

And hopes are high that some of the development paths now being followed could help lift the performance of its riders in the next few races, starting at next weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix.

Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing, said: "The tests at Misano went quite well, we were quite happy with the lap times, we learned a lot and Yamaha and Honda worked well with us.

"The tests helped us find some interesting directions for development and also allowed us to get a lot more information about Misano. We hadn't been there before the GP, and with our three fastest riders out of luck in the race, it was extremely useful for us to get some more track time.

"During the tests we continued our work on the new construction tyres we first used during the post-Czech GP tests at Brno. Four of our riders raced the new construction at Misano, including Valentino.

"Our main focus at the tests was obtaining more data on compounds with the new construction rear which is designed to improve edge grip and traction. The construction is a bit stiffer than before, so while most of our riders already like the tyre, some still prefer the softer construction; as always it comes down to riding style and machine character.

"Choice of construction also depends on the circuit - I think the stiffer construction should work well at Estoril, though maybe the softer construction will be better at somewhere like Motegi where riders don't spend so much time at maximum lean.

"Two of our riders raced with the new profile front at Misano and most of them tested the tyre the day after the race. We were working with compounds again, and the Yamaha guys especially appreciated the new tyre. We expect three or four riders will use this tyre at Estoril - Carlos (Checa) wasn't sure after the tests, he has still to decide which profile he prefers."