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Valentino Rossi’s controversial decision to switch from Michelin to Bridgestone after a disastrous 2007 has proven extremely prudent, with a string of unforgivably poor performances from Michelin in 2008. Even so, when Dani Pedrosa announced after last weekend’s Misano Grand Prix that he was switching to Bridgestone effective immediately, many felt he was making a rash decision that would cost him speed through a lack of development time.
Well, the results are out from day one of Pedrosa’s tests on the Bridgestone tyres: his best lap on the first race compound he’s tested was 0.252 seconds faster than the fastest lap of the race, set by Rossi.
The incredible lap time came with Pedrosa on the new, pneumatic valve Honda RC212V that Hayden has been race-testing - but even on his older spring-valve machine, Pedrosa was immediately and consistently much faster than he’d been on the Michelins.
The tyre war in 2008 has been a consummate embarrassment for Michelin, who were surprised by rule changes at the beginning of 2007 but have no excuse for this year’s woes. Pedrosa’s immediate performance gains will add credence to the call for a one-tyre series, as the MotoGP spectacle this year has been very lukewarm without Pedrosa, Hayden, Lorenzo and other Michelin runners able to keep Rossi and Stoner honest at the front.
One way or the other, it seems Pedrosa will be a force to be reckoned with one he gains a clear understanding of the new tyres and how to make them work with the Honda.
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