Pirelli conducted the first tests of tires for MotoGP
Pirelli, which will replace Michelin in MotoGP in 2027, has conducted the first tests of prototype tires for one of the most prestigious world motorcycle racing championships. The tests took place at the Misano circuit (Italy) with the participation of test riders from the teams of five manufacturers: Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, KTM, and Yamaha, in mostly sunny weather with asphalt temperatures ranging from 25 to 43 degrees, and Pirelli notes that the goal was to obtain feedback from riders necessary for further tire development.
Each team was presented with seven sets of tires, manufactured in two versions for the front and three for the rear wheel in sizes currently used in MotoGP, i.e., 17 inches in diameter and 4 inches wide at the front and 6.25 inches at the rear.
The tires will be produced at the factory in Breuberg (Germany), where other racing motorcycle tires are also produced, as well as part of Pirelli's civilian motorcycle tires, including some of the most popular models on the market. The plant was chosen because Pirelli continues to follow an approach that simplifies the transfer of technologies from motorsport to the production of tires for public roads.
In accordance with the regulations, new tires are tested on motorcycles of the current season with disabled devices for changing the ground clearance and in some cases with adjusted characteristics, including aerodynamics, since it is necessary to make the bikes as similar as possible to those that will be used in the 2027 season, when the engine volume will be reduced from 1000 to 850 cm3.
"The tests in Misano were the first stage of our return to the championship, and we are fully satisfied with both the working relationships that have developed between our engineers and all the teams and their test riders, and the tire characteristics," noted Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli's Moto Racing Director. "The tests were carried out in full accordance with the established program, which included, among other things, a simulation of a sprint race, and the first feedback is very encouraging: the tests gave us a large amount of data to analyze, necessary for further work on the tires. The most important tire characteristics, of course, are grip, warm-up speed, and reliability of behavior, and we decided to approach our participation in MotoGP with the same philosophy that has always distinguished us in motorcycle racing, i.e., tires should be created exclusively for the highest level of competition, as required by the regulations. We also want to use technologies and processes created using years of experience, with a triple goal: to make our participation in MotoGP an example of the introduction of sustainable development principles in motorsport, to provide teams with quality products with the same parameters, and to ensure a more direct transfer of technologies and know-how to the production of tires for public roads in the interests of motorcyclists around the world."
The agreement with Dorna, the MotoGP promoter, was signed for five years, and Pirelli also extended the contract for the supply of tires for the Moto2 and Moto3 series until 2031, which, according to the company, "are considered the main talent foundry in motorsport". In addition, over the next five years, Pirelli will continue to cooperate with such motorcycling competitions as JuniorGP, Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, and MiniGP.
Pirelli also notes that the company remains committed to participating in motorcycle and car racing, which began in 1907 with the "Peking-Paris" rally. Currently, Pirelli participates in more than 350 racing series on two- and four-wheeled vehicles and, for example, has been supplying tires for the Motocross World Championship (MXGP) for over twenty years, with 82 world championship titles to its credit. In addition, since 2011, Pirelli tires have been used in Formula 1, and the company is also a partner of such racing series as Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, GT World Challenge, and many others.