During the hot weekend of the Czech Grand Prix, Brno welcomed Moto2™ and Moto3™ with a new asphalt and record-breaking performance. Joe Roberts and José Antonio Rueda dominated their respective categories, not only climbing to the top step of the podium, but also setting new race lap records and contributing to a significant improvement in average lap pace compared to 2020.
In Moto2™, Joe Roberts crossed the finish line first on the Kalex, after a close battle with poleman Barry Baltus, who finished second. Manuel Gonzalez, again on a Kalex, finished third, completing the podium. All riders chose the new E0125 soft rear tire, already seen in action at Silverstone, Aragón, and Assen. This solution has also proven highly effective on the Czech asphalt. For the front, the majority opted for the standard soft SC1, but Baltus stood out as the highest-placed rider on the medium SC2, sharing the same choice with Salač, Canet, and Arenas.
It was also a flawless race in Moto3™, with José Antonio Rueda taking the lead from the first lap and never letting go. Behind him were two other KTMs: Máximo Quiles second and David Muñoz third after an extraordinary comeback from last on the grid. The tire choice was virtually uniform, with medium SC2 compounds on both axles for almost the entire grid, except for the two Honda riders, Carraro and Furusato, who opted for the soft SC1 for the front.
The numbers speak for themselves: in Moto2™, Roberts set a new fastest race lap of 1’59.468, shattering Alex Márquez’s previous record (2’01.463, 2019) by almost two seconds. In Moto3™, Rueda clocked an impressive 2:05.454, improving by over two and a half seconds on Fenati’s 2014 best (2:08.064). This overall improvement in race pace averaged 3.7 seconds for Moto2™ and 4 seconds for Moto3™ compared to the 2020 race, the last World Championship round at this track.
The credit? Partly due to the natural evolution of the bikes, but especially to the new asphalt in Brno, which has restored grip and speed, and to the Pirelli tires, which have proven to be highly adaptable. The E0125 rear, in particular, was the most popular choice throughout the weekend, demonstrating consistency and performance across multiple tracks.
The teams are now preparing for two days of official testing in Brno: on Monday the 21st it will be Moto2™’s turn, and on Tuesday the 23rd it will be Moto3™’s turn, with sessions from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and a lunch break from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. These will be crucial tests for the development of new front tyre compounds: a new option in Moto2™ and two front tyres to test in Moto3™.
The weekend’s excellent performances were no coincidence, but the result of a technical package—bike, tyres, and track—that were perfectly in tune. And Brno once again confirms itself as a top-level testing ground for those aiming for excellence.
Fabio Averna
