Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

The factory Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) of Glenn Allerton and Wayne Maxwell tested Pirelli tyres during this week’s Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) presented by Motul Pirelli test at Wakefield Park.

While team duo Allerton and Maxwell were unable to comment on the move, it has been confirmed by team manager John Redding that YRT will make a decision prior to round two of the championship whether or not it will transfer on the race weekend.

Yamaha Motor Australia owns Dunlop distributor Ficeda Accessories and has close ties with the brand as a result, in addition to claiming numerous Australian and Australasian championships together since YRT’s formation over a decade ago. The pair also completed an extensive testing program during the pre-season, including Wakefield Park, in a bid for the 2017 crown.

However Pirelli has proven to be a formidable package in the ASBK most recently, boosting Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss to last year’s title and also winning Phillip Island’s opening round last month after privateer JD Racing Yamaha rider Daniel Falzon opted to use the Italian brand under unique circumstances.

“We’re open to and welcome riders across all classes using Pirelli,” commented Pirelli product manager Don Nicholas. “We enjoy working as closely as we can with riders and teams to ensure they get the best results they can on our tyres. It’s a part of Pirelli DNA to go racing, it’s our passion and we love being able to offer the same tyres developed and raced on in the World Superbike Championship to each rider in the ASBK paddock who chooses to race with us.”

Less than ideal weather conditions during the Wakefield Park test complicated evaluations carried out by both Allerton – who used Dunlop in clinching the 2008/2011 crowns and Pirelli on his way to the 2014 title – and Maxwell, who won his lone ASBK championship in 2013 equipped with Dunlop. He has limited Pirelli experience during his career, both locally and in World Endurance.

Dunlop and Pirelli have been the sole control tyre suppliers of the ASBK series in the past, but the current regulation of Motorcycling Australia’s (MA) series includes homologated options from both of those brands, as well as Michelin and Bridgestone.

Last season was an intriguing one in the battle of the tyre brands, as then Dunlop riders Allerton (Phillip Island) and Maxwell (Sydney and Barbagallo) won three rounds between them and Pirelli’s eventual champion Herfoss captured three overalls to himself at Wakefield Park, Morgan Park and Winton.

Meanwhile, current points leader Falzon has openly stated his team could potentially bounce between brands this year, depending on what is most suited to each particular circuit on the calendar. He rode on Pirelli tyres during day one at Wakefield Park on Tuesday, but plans to assess Dunlop’s options were curtailed by rain on Wednesday. It’s not certain what he will race on next weekend.