Ducati MotoE: analysis of Brembo's braking system

Ducati MotoE: analysis of Brembo's braking system
La Ducati MotoE for the World Cup 2023
Ducati MotoE for the World Cup 2023 (photo: Ducati)

The braking system of the MotoE has always held particular importance in riding and safety in this category. In this post, we analyze the evolution of this system that Brembo has provided in the past and will also supply for MotoE of Ducati.

Since Ducati presented the “V21L” prototype that will take part in the MotoE World Cup starting in 2023, we created a series of posts to analyze the architecture of the bike and the characteristics of the main components; in this post, we review the braking system supplied by Brembo.
In MotoE, braking has always been a very critical phase due to the high weight of the bike: 260kg in the first three years, 247kg this year and 225kg starting from 2023. To these values must be added the weight of the "fitted" rider, therefore at least another 70kg. Considering the maximum speed reached by the MotoE (275km/h), we understand how the braking system plays a fundamental role in the riding and safety of these bikes.
Brembo has been the technical partner of MotoE since its debut, which took place in 2019 with the Ego Corsa di Energica Motor Company, and will continue to supply the braking systems in the next phase of the MotoE World Cup, the one that sees Ducati as a sole supplier starting from 2023.

The braking system that Brembo has developed for the MotoE of the first generation, that of 2019 to 2022, mounts “T-Drive” type discs while the calipers are the GP4-PR. The front steel discs have a diameter of 336mm and a thickness of 7,1mm, with a configuration specifically designed for the MotoE. Each disc is made up of eight "T" pins obtained on the disc and eight shapes on the bell, which allow the elimination of the drag pawls. According to Brembo, this particular shape allows the braking torque to be transmitted more effectively, through a specific study of the machining tolerances.
The "T-Drive" offers high resistance to thermo-mechanical stress, especially in the most extreme conditions of use. The "T-Drive" system allows both radial and axial floating and allows reducing the overall weight of the disc, bringing a consistent advantage in rideability. The rear disc is also steel-made and it is of 218mm diameter.
The front caliper is machined from solid aluminum monobloc model GP4-PR. It has 4 titanium pistons with differentiated diameters of 32-36 mm and is driven by a radial pump with a diameter of 19 mm and a distance of 18 mm. The pads used are the Z04, already used in Superbike championship races, in the SuperSport championship and in Moto2.

Ducati MotoE for the World Cup 2023 (photo: Ducati)

For the MotoE 2023, Ducati has defined specific requests for the braking system on which Brembo has sized and manufactured the individual components.
The Ducati MotoE front braking system is composed of a double 338.5 mm diameter steel disc with increased thickness, with fins on the internal diameter to increase the heat exchange surface and improve the cooling of the disc in conditions of extreme use on the track. The twin steel discs are coupled with two GP4RR M4 32/36 calipers with a PR19/18 radial pump. At the rear, the P34 caliper acts on a 220mm diameter and 5mm thick single disc unit with a PS13 pump.

The T-Drive front disc with cooling fins for the MotoE by Ducati (Photo: Brembo)

The riders of the MotoE also participate in other competitions, and some are used to adopting the rear handlebar brake. Furthermore, since the MotoE is without the clutch, the left handlebar is free, so some riders have asked to have the rear brake control lever there. Brembo has thus supplied the MotoE of Energica with the double set 14RCS model (one gradual and one faster).
On the Ducati prototype, it is also possible to have the rear brake control on the handlebar; the teams will choose whether to equip their bikes with it or not. However, the control by the right foot remains, and it is the control on which the rider exerts more pressure to control the rear caliper (the lever on the handlebar or the one on the footboard).
At first, during the tests carried out by Alex De Angelis on the Vallelunga track, Ducati had mounted a pair of 327mm diameter and 7,1mm thick discs on the front without cooling fins but the final choice was to use larger discs with better heat dissipation properties.

The rear brake lever on the MotoE by Ducati (photo: Ducati)

The galley of the Ducati MotoE

Photo and video: Ducati

For those wishing to know other details of the MotoE World Cup, this is the link to the dedicated section (the MotoE World Cup)

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