Pirelli is expected to move into MotoGP tyre supply in 2027, bringing its 23-year WorldSBK partnership to an end. The change amounts to a direct exchange between the two brands: Michelin, currently supplying MotoGP, will take over the WorldSBK tyre contract while Pirelli moves its racing programme to the new championship.

WorldSBK became a demanding development ground for Pirelli as the requirements of superbikes continued to change. The company produced different tyre specifications and even developed solutions aimed at maximum performance over very short distances. Their intended uses included qualifying attempts and the Superpole Race, where outright speed was prioritised over extended race life.

A changing technical environment

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, described how much the championship changed over two decades. In its earlier era, riders were the main source of information for engineers. Electronics and aerodynamics later became far more influential in the development of road-going and race-spec superbikes. For Pirelli, that shift required changes both to its prototype work and to the way it approached industrial production.

The engineering task went beyond adding grip and outright performance. Pirelli also had to improve durability while keeping the price at an acceptable level. Barbier linked the growing movement of riders from road riding to circuit use with the emergence of a market for racing tyres. That demand helped drive newer compounds, including the SCX and SCQ.

In Barbier’s view, the partnership left more than a record of track development. It taught Pirelli how to produce high-quality, high-performance tyres at scale, while he described his involvement with WorldSBK as important both professionally and as a personal experience.