Source: MotoGP.

A group of 14 MotoGP riders stayed behind after the Aragon GP to complete the final full Michelin tyre test in the current season, before the French manufacturer takes over as the sole championship supplier from the 2016 winter test onwards.

The final in-season test had been scheduled after the Brno race six weeks ago, yet with heavy rain disrupting proceedings a further test was scheduled after the Aragon race.

Being the final chance to test the tyres before the first winter test after the Valencia race later this year, it was vital for the riders to give their input in the final stages of development.

Michelin brought four different front and three different rear slicks for the likes of Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi and Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez to try.

“It’s quite a new track for us,” Michelin Racing’s technical director Nicolas Goubert commented. “It’s been on the calendar for a few years, but we were not in the series when it was brought in to the calendar.

“We brought stuff that we tested at Misano, so most of it we’ve already tested, only with one new option for the front and a range of three different rear tyres. We try to cover different conditions, and try to see what could be a good compromise between good performance and good consistency.

“The profiles now are more or less fixed I would say, so for the rear it’s mainly compound. We’re mainly trying different compounds to suit the conditions and suit the track layout. And for the front it was mainly two different compounds that we brought in different constructions, as we’re still trying to improve the front, as we still have some issues.”

The other participants included Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia duo Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista, Monster Yamaha Tech3 teammates Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS’s Scott Redding, LCR Honda riders Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller, as well as Octo Pramac Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci.

Yesterday’s race winner Jorge Lorenzo opted not to participate in the test, while Movistar Yamaha teammate and title rival Rossi suffered a fall during the day but sustained no major injuries.