Pirelli secures World Superbike contract extension

Pirelli will continue to supply tyres to the World Superbike championship until the end of the 2023 season.

The Italian tyre manufacturer has agreed a contact extension of three years having initially been set to see its current deal expire at the end of 2020.

Pirelli started supplying to the World Superbike championship back in 2004, as part of a cost-cutting measure to clampdown on tyre wars, which became the first running of a single tyre supplier in top level motorsport.

“Motorsport is historically an important part of our company's DNA and that between Pirelli and the FIM Superbike World Championship represents without no doubt one of the collaborations of greater longevity and success in the history of motorsport,” Pirelli’s Roberto Righi said. “Pirelli 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 tyres and beyond.

“With this agreement, Pirelli also secures its confidence and trust of Dorna, organiser 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 favours of riders, teams and of course motorcycle manufacturers which, like Pirelli, will continue to recognise in the Championship an excellent platform to develop and promote their products.”

Pirelli will supply all classes in the World Superbike paddock - Superbike, Supersport 600 and Supersport 300 - with all categories moving to slick tyres from 2020.

“Starting next year, with the switch to slick tyres for all classes, we will see further significant performance improvements,” Giorgio Barbier, Director of Sport Activities of Pirelli's Motorcycle Business Unit, said.

“In particular the World Supersport 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 tyres 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.”