Every year, Brembo finds ways to help the racers in MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 go faster by helping them brake harder. While this isn’t a revolutionary year in MotoGP or Moto3, there is some big news for Moto2 braking. Let’s go over what you’ll see on the front wheels of the fastest road racers in the world in 2023.
- Every rider in the MotoGP class will use the GP4 front caliper. Introduced in 2020, this four-piston caliper is a monoblock design machined from a single piece of aluminum—fins keep it cool in the heat of battle. An anti-drag system uses a spring to prevent the pads from touching the disc when the rider isn’t braking. This design also results in more consistent braking action.
- Six dry-conditions carbon discs will be available to MotoGP riders. The big daddy is the 355mm finned disc—introduced last year—and you can expect to see them considered for deployment at the Japanese, Austrian, Malaysian, and Thai Grands Prix. For a bit less power, there are three 340mm discs—standard, high mass, and finned. Riders on less-demanding circuits might go with the 320mm disc in either standard or high mass configurations.
- Disc thickness is consistent at eight millimeters, with the weight varying from 1 to 1.4 kilograms (2.2 to 3.1 pounds).
- The total weight of the Brembo MotoGP braking system is around 5.5 kilograms. That’s just over 12 pounds.
- Eight of the 11 MotoGP teams will be using Marchesini forged magnesium wheels. Riders can choose between five or seven spokes in a Y pattern for the front; the rear comes only in a seven-spoke design. Marchesini is part of the Brembo Group.
- The operating temperature of the Brembo MotoGP discs is between 250 and 850 degrees C—that’s 482 to 1562 degrees F.
- Brembo’s new MotoGP-derived caliper for Moto2 is a four-piston design with finning.
- Moto2 and Moto3 riders will have a choice of standard steel or finned discs. Moto2 discs weigh 1.3 kilograms (2.7 pounds), and the Moto3 discs tip the scales at just a half-kilogram (1.1 pounds).
- The steel discs in Moto2 and Moto3 operate in the 100 to 650 degree C temperature range—212 to 1202 degrees F.
- SBS Friction and J.Juan, both part of the Brembo Group, will supply materiel to select Moto2 and Moto3 teams.
- Across Moto2 and Moto3, the Brembo Group will supply all the 2023 teams with calipers. Across the two support groups, the Brembo Group will produce about 90 percent of the master cylinders, 80 percent of the pads, half the steel discs, and just under a third of the wheels.
- The 2023 MotoGP World Championship Series competition begins this weekend with the Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal. Racing gets underway at Autdrómo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão. Check out the 2023 MotoGP World Championship Series Schedule for details on the 21-round calendar.
