against its competitors directly - Pirelli has taken a unique approach . Instead of just buying the rights to be the single supplier and then bringing the same small number of options to tracks of all kinds , the vision was more ambitious . The Milan -based company used official WorldSBK test sessions as both the first and the final stage of a technical development programme that never rests . From James Toseland winning the 2004 Championship for Ducati on Pirellis , to whoever wins the 2021 title on any one of five different manufacturers ’ machines , Pirelli not only supplies all the WorldSBK riders with the same level-playing field race-to-race , but uses the priceless feedback and measurable performance of the best Superbike riders to point the direction of development . Ultimately , the heat of WorldSBK competition provides the final test-bed for all their potential racing products . Once proven in this intense arena , the chosen ones enter the regular marketplace .
Another way in which Pirelli and WorldSBK has diverged from many other single tyre series is that the fundamental materials inside all Pirelli tyres are the same as their regular road going versions . They are truly mass produced . Exotic concoctions are most notable by their absence , right up to and including the latest development options introduced to the WorldSBK paddock for evaluation . The most remarkable aspect of Pirelli ’ s approach for mere riding mortals is that we can buy the exact same tyre option from Pirelli ’ s standard race tyre range as the race winner in WorldSBK may well have used the day before . If six-times champion Jonathan Rea , for example , chooses an SC0 standard slick rear , which also features in the global Pirelli race catalogue , it is the same tyre in all respects that you can fit to your bike to take on a track day or club race weekend . And for treaded hyper-performance road tyres , this is the most direct and relevant development philosophy imaginable . the beginning we were unknown to them ,” said Barbier . “ The system we had worked without prototypes , with a lot of tests and a lot of new solutions each race . In the beginning they said , ‘ why don ’ t you bring just bring single tyres ? We do not need performance , we just need a show ?’ But we liked to work on the development of the tyres and now I can really say we have the same relationship as we had with the previous promoters . This project is really a partner of Dorna . We work all together for WorldSBK .”
Normally , any company has a finite plan , a set of goals to achieve through sponsorship or partnership , and then they move on once they have been achieved . Clearly , the proof of the benefit of Pirelli ’ s continuing involvement and continuous development process in the WorldSBK series is that even after 18 years Pirelli and WorldSBK are still firmly on the same page
One of the most significant and successful approaches Pirelli has adopted since 2004 is to continuously expand the operating window of their race tyres . From cold European spring conditions to the heat of an Asian summer , having each tyre option operate well across a wide temperature makes for more , not less , choice for the racers . In the ‘ real ’ world outside racing it allows Pirelli to meet the needs of sport bike customers from Norway to Thailand with the same range of tyres , because similar slick tyres have proved themselves at world level , everywhere from the UK to Indonesia .
Possibly only after understanding all these unique and repeatedly successful approaches to both top line racing and regular customer needs can you understand why neither the FIM Superbike World Championship organisers nor Pirelli have opted out of their partnership , even after all these 18 years . Even after Dorna took over WorldSBK in 2013 , and suddenly nothing was certain , the Pirelli partnership continued . “ With us Dorna found a system that worked , even though at
PIRELLI STATS PITSTOP
Pirelli has competed at 42 different WorldSBK circuits since 1989 . Navarra , Most and Mandalika are the new challenges for 2021 .
Since the dawn of the single make tyre era in 2004 , Pirelli as brought over 750 new tyre solutions .
Over 1 million Pirelli tyres have been taken to WorldSBK races since 2004 .
47