Image: Supplied.

Pirelli has extended its contract with the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) as the official tyre supplier through the 2023 season.

Pirelli has been the official tyre supplier for WorldSBK since 2004, the year that the single tyre supplier rule was introduced. The extension to this partnership, which was set to expire in 2020, guarantees that the tyre supplier and the production-derived series will continue working into their 20th season together.

This agreement also brings forward a significant change to all WorldSBK support classes. From 2020, all machines in WorldSSP, WorldSSP300 and the brand-new Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup will use exclusively Diablo Superbike slick tyres, replacing the treaded tyres used up to now in those classes and following in the footsteps of the leading championship.

In WorldSBK, 200/65 rear and 125/70 front tyres will become the standard sizes from next year, with a maximum allocation per rider of 11 front and 13 rear for the full race weekend.

The allocation for WorldSSP will be of eight front and nine rear (with a new 190/60 rear size), while for WorldSSP300 the regulations will remain the same as now, switch from treaded to slicks aside – they will be granted three fronts (110/70) and three rears (140/70).

Giorgio Barbier, director of sport activities at Pirelli’s motorcycle business unit said: “I have been following this championship for Pirelli since the beginning of our adventure as a single tyre supplier for all classes, and I am 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 tyres.

“Starting next year, with the switch to slick tyres 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 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.”

Marc Saurina, WorldSBK executive director of commercial, marketing and media added: “Having Pirelli on board until 2023 is brilliant news for the championship, and to reach the milestone of the longest-running sole tyre supplier really shows this strong and solid relationship we have, as 2023 will see the 20th season of this successful partnership.

“Providing the entirety of the WorldSBK paddock with Pirelli tyres, and continuing to see the development at the forefront of tyre technology, is really something I and we all welcome, I look forward to our future together.”