In response to the evolution of supersport machines, and confirming Pirelli’s role as a leading tire manufacturer in the international racing scene, starting from 2020 all WorldSBK Championship classes will use DIABLO™ Superbike slick tires

In the WorldSBK category, the larger sizes become the new standard, as well as the rear 190/60 for WorldSSP, and the switch to slick tires will gradually involve the national championships in which Pirelli participates. The SCX option will enter the DIABLO™ Superbike range and become available on the market

Pirelli, in agreement with Dorna WSBK Organization and the FIM, also announces that from 2020 all WorldSBK Championship classes will exclusively use DIABLO™ Superbike slick tires. This means, starting from next season, the WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 classes and the newborn Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup will also have the maximum technology and performance offered by the top product in the Pirelli range, replacing the DIABLO™ Supercorsa SC treaded tires used in those classes.

Roberto Righi, Executive Vice President Commercial Replacement, Moto & Velo and Region Emea for Pirelli commented on the renewal of the agreement: “Motorsport is historically an important part of our company’s DNA and that between Pirelli and the FIM Superbike World Championship represents without a doubt one of the collaborations of greater longevity and success in the history of motorsport. This renewal offers continuity to our corporate strategy, which in recent years has allowed Pirelli to establish itself as an absolute reference in the segment of racing for supersport tires and beyond. With this agreement, Pirelli also secures its confidence and trust of Dorna, organizer and promoter of the Championship, being sure that together we will be able to continue to offer and grow a world-class series that will meet the favors of riders, teams and of course motorcycle manufacturers which, like Pirelli, will continue to recognize in the Championship an excellent platform to develop and promote their products.”

Marc Saurina, Executive Director, Commercial, Marketing and Media depts. of Dorna WSBK Organization: “Having Pirelli on board until 2023 is brilliant news for the Championship, and to reach the milestone of the longest running single tire supplier really shows this strong and solid relationship we have, and 2023 will see the 20th season of this successful partnership. Providing the entirety of the WorldSBK paddock with Pirelli tires, and continuing to see the development at the forefront of tire technology, is really something we all welcome. I look forward to our future together.”

From left to right: Roberto Righi (Pirelli), Marc Saurina (Dorna), Giorgio Barbier (Pirelli)

Beginning in 2004, and initially designed to contain the overall costs of running the Championship, the technical partnership established by Pirelli with the Federation, promoter, teams and racers represented the first example of single tire formula in the history of top motor racing competitions. Now, after almost 20 years, it has proven to be a winning choice that has been followed by other two and four-wheel championships, offering all riders and teams the same opportunities to compete for victory, through a fair and identical tire supply for all.

Since the beginning of its involvement in the production-derived World Championship, Pirelli has not restricted itself to carrying out the mere role of Single Tire Supplier but it has been an active partner of the Championship contributing to the identity and peculiarities that have always distinguished it from other motorcycle competitions, applying also to tires the ‘production’ bike philosophy of the series. Therefore, Pirelli chooses not to supply the Championship with prototype solutions but rather with normal standard tires, which could have been purchased on the market. And, while always remaining faithful to this philosophy, the Milan-based tire company has continued to innovate technologically and to dictate the new generation of racing tires used throughout the world: in 2013, for the first time in history, Pirelli abandoned the 16.5-inch tires in favor of the new 17-inch, a size commonly used by road motorcyclists. In 2018, the beginning of a further development destined to rewrite the parameters of the tire world for competition: the switch to larger sizes, 125/70 front and 200/65 rear, which beginning next year will become the standard sizes of the WorldSBK class.

2004-2019: 16 years of success for Pirelli

Also, the choice of Pirelli, which has always been a leader of market trends and needs, to make the WorldSSP, WorldSSP300 and new Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup compete with slick tires, is the result of the brand’s strategy to respond to market changes and to the performance evolution of modern medium and small displacement supersport machines. Then the goal of Pirelli is to gradually involve the national championships in which it participates, offering the same product that will be used in the World Championships. The slick solutions are in fact not only able to guarantee better performance than treaded ones, thus allowing riders to exploit the full potential of their machines, but they have also become the new reference for all motorcyclists and amateur racers who love to use their own motorcycle on the track while participating in track days.

Pirelli DIABLO Superbike

In the WorldSBK class, the rear tires will all be in the 200/65 rear and 125/70 front sizes which, as per the rules, the riders will be able to use a maximum amount of 11 front and 13 rear to cover the entire race weekend.

In the WorldSSP category, in addition to the transition from treaded to slicks, the riders will be able to count on the new 190/60 rear size. The evolution of the rear size has followed that of the competition models, larger than the 180/60 used thus far or that of the 180/55 fitted by road bikes. In terms of quantities, they will be able to use a maximum amount of eight front and nine rear during the weekend. Furthermore, in all the races there will always be two alternatives for the front – standard SC1 and SC2 – and two for the rear – standard SC0 and SC1 – even if Pirelli reserves the right to replace a standard solution with a development solution during the season.

In WorldSSP300, with the transition to slicks, the quantities available to the riders will not be affected: three fronts and three rear. Also, compounds and sizes will remain unchanged: 110/70 in SC1 compound at the front and 140/70 in SC1 or SC2 (based on the circuit) compound at the rear.

Finally, welcoming the numerous requests from customers, riders and promoters of championships all over the world – such as the CIV (Italian Speed Championship) in which the riders have already had the opportunity to test it – Pirelli has decided that the SCX rear solution, introduced this year only in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as an extra soft pre-qualifier option used during the Superpole^®, will become part of the DIABLO™ Superbike range and will therefore be available to all championships, professional riders and amateurs who will want to use it during racing.

Pirelli DIABLO Superbike SCX

“I have been following this Championship for Pirelli since the beginning of our adventure as a Single Tire Supplier for all classes,” said Giorgio Barbier, Director of Sport Activities of Pirelli’s Motorcycle Business Unit. “I’m naturally satisfied with this renewal because it will allow us to continue working to offer riders, as well as all motorcyclists in the world, the best performance that can be found in motorcycle racing tires. Starting next year, with the switch to slick tires for all classes, we will see further significant performance improvements. In particular, the WorldSSP class will certainly benefit from changes in front profile, compounds and structure, while the new 190/60 rear size will bring the class to the performance of the superbikes of a few years ago. As for the WorldSSP300, the use of slick tires will help not to trigger ‘tearing’ in historically colder morning sessions thanks also to the development of a dedicated SC2 rear compound that will be alternated with the SC1”.

The extension of the contract in the role of Single Tire Supplier for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is an integral part of Pirelli’s commitment and involvement in the racing world. Pirelli is the Exclusive Tire Supplier of the FIA Formula One World Championship^® since 2010 and is historically involved in the World Rally Championship, FIM Motocross World Championship, FIM Endurance World Championship and all the most prestigious four and two-wheel motor competitions as well as in numerous national championships. Among the motorcycle ones, to name but a few, there are the British Superbike Championship, CIV (Italian Championship), Superbike IDM (German National Championship), FSBK (French National Championship) and Brazilian Superbike Championship.