Fabio Di Giannantonio's Braking Masterclass: "It's About Power, But Also Sensitivity"

Fabio Di Giannantonio's Braking Masterclass: "It's About Power, But Also Sensitivity" How do you stop a racing motorcycle as you hurtle toward a corner at well north of 350 km/h? Most MotoGP fans will quote the old Kevin Schwantz adage: "See God, then brake", most famously (and incorrectly, as Mat Oxley explains here) applied to the epic last-lap overtake on Wayne Rainey at Hockenheim in 1991. In other words, you wait until the last minute and then jam on the brakes as hard as possible. As with most preconceptions about racing, it is wrong. Braking is a much more subtle art. Riders have to balance the limits of grip of the front tire, braking from the engine, and using the rear to help slow up the bike and take some (but not too much!) of the pressure from the front tire, holding the front and rear brake deep into the corner, gradually releasing pressure as you ask more of the tire in cornering, giving up stopping. To get the balance right, you need to select the right brake discs for the front - Brembo have a choice of six, from low and high mass 320mm discs, to low mass, high mass, and finned 340mm discs, or the massive 355mm finned discs used at tracks like Motegi and Austria - find the right master cylinder to handle the pressure you exert on the lever, set the lever distance just right, and get the shape of the lever right for your braking style. You have to decide between using one finger, two fingers, three fingers, just the index finger, the middle finger, or the middle and ring finger, to find the right balance between strength and subtlety. David Emmett Mon, 25/May/2026 - 15:44 * Read more about Fabio Di Giannantonio's Braking Masterclass: "It's About Power, But Also Sensitivity" * Log in or register to post comments