"Especially iඣn the last years it looks like the rear tyres are very soft [construction] and usually in all my career I always prefer hard [construction] tyres," the nine-time 🎃world champion said last season.

"So for this reason I suffer a lot, especially after some laps because theꦫ rear moves very much.

"We nee𒈔💃d to work with the bike in another way and make the bike more soft. And also ride to load the tyre more smoothly. If not, the tyre gives up [moves].

"With this type of setting and these types of tyres I am in more trouble; I am not able to 🙈use my style. But these are the tyres we all have and the others are able to be strong with them."

The return to a special heat-resistant rear tyre casing, last used at Buriram 2018, for Mandalika offered the current grid a chance to experience the kind of stiffer construction us🍃ed in previous MotoGP tyres (albeit paired with the latest compounds).

The lack of any🦹 testing time with the modified casing caused much publicised problems for the likes of Honda and Suzuki, but lap times at the front matched those achieved on the sof🐠ter 2022-tyres during February's official test.

That's because while the latest cas🔴ing, introduced for 2020, offers more outright grip, it comes at the expense of stability in the faster sections.

"Through the three fast corners, 5-6-7, when you are on the lean angle and trying to pull gas and hitting kerbs and all sorts of things [the 2018 casing] definitely gave me a lot more stability and a lot more confidence to be able to hang off the bike more," said Ducati's Jack Miller. "In general, a lot leཧss 'pumping'."

The Australian added that the stiffer c🅘asing would also improve handling at other circuits with high-speed changes of direction.

"I've given my feedback to both Michelin and Ducati about it a lot of times. 🦩For example, at Assen, we have issues with bikes absolutely doing this [shaking] and I f💃eel that is 100% coming from the rear tyre," he explained.

"For sure, the [2018 casing] performance isn't maybe as good as something soft and malleable that gets nice and hooked up.🍌 But you need to find a compromise I guess.💖"

Mot൲oGP riders have been testing a potential new rear tyre casing for the 2023 season since early last year.

The revised construction is describe🦋d as "a small tuning" to the present design, with the specific aim of improving warm-up performance.

"The ඣgoal is to imജprove the warm-up, in the first 3-4 laps, then the performance is equal to the standard [current] specification," explained Michelin's Piero Taramasso.

MotoGP should be back on the standard 2022 casing for next weekend's Argentine round a♑t Termas de Rio Hondo.