The problem of tyre pressure in MotoGP has been a major talking point ever since its supplier Michelin introduced a mandatory minimum threshold in 2023. Introduced as an additional layer to rider safety, tyre pressures have become crucial to race strategy.
Evident in Marc Marquez’s move to let his brother Alex pass during the 2025 Thailand Grand Prix during a desperate plea to bring the pressures back within the operating window, but more crucially, to avoid penalties stemming from Michelin’s revised thresholds.
Why were tyre pressure regulations introduced?
Michelin devised its introduction of the tyre pressure rule in 2023 to combat teams that were running excessively low pressures to negate the effects of tyre temperatures. In the same vein, lower pressures may allow for increased rear grip.
Initially, the minimum front tyre pressure was set at 1.88 bar, while the rear required 1.7 bar, with compliance measured as an average across laps. But its implementation, namely the lack of real-time monitoring, led to Michelin revising the regulations for the 2024 season.
The front minimum pressure was reduced to 1.80 bar, alongside a more concrete outline on the window of compliance duration, which was increased from 50% to 60% of grand prix laps (30% for sprint races).
Marc Marquez is no stranger to being on the receiving end of punishments stemming from infringements of the regulations, receiving a 16-second time penalty which demoted the eight-time world champion from fourth to tenth place. The penalty was issued despite Marc exceeding the minimum tyre pressure limit by 0.01 bar for just one lap.
For the current 2025 season, the FIM and Michelin joined forces to introduce circuit-specific pressure adjustments and automated monitoring systems to improve consistency. But the issues regarding the regulation remain, tyre pressures are unpredictable and are affected by a multitude of factors such as riding style, track conditions, and dirty air.
Impact on racing
Tyre pressure plays a role in determining grip, wear, and stability. Lower pressures increase the contact patch, improving grip but at the risk of excessive flex and overheating. Higher pressures reduce deformation, enhancing stability at the sacrifice of mechanical grip.
The point of contention has always been around the restrictive nature of the range of front tyre pressures. Michelin’s outline of 1.80 to 2 bar is seen as narrow, especially given that pressures can rise by up to 0.3 bar on the Sunday due to friction and downforce.
During the 2025 Thailand Grand Prix, Marc Marquez, starting on pole after a sprint race victory the day before, consolidated the top podium spot from lap 1. A tyre pressure warning on lap seven caused the factory Ducati rider to let his brother and Gresini frontman through.
The elder Spaniard stayed behind, using the slipstream to warm up his front tyre before clinching the top podium spot once again in the latter stages of the race, once his tyre pressures had stabilised.
Although Michelin’s tyre pressure regulations were introduced with ride safety at the forefront, its implementation ultimately added another layer of complexity in race management.
With another key area for riders to keep track of, minor infringements such as Marc Marquez’s penalty in the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix or Fabio Di Gianantonio’s podium disqualification from the podium in the 2023 Valencia Grand Prix depict a very fine line between hero and zero.
We are yet to see the full implications of the tyre pressure regulation on the ongoing 2025 MotoGP season, but the events of the recent Thai GP has done little in terms of addressing its adverse effects upon motor racing.
