Pirelli and Michelin like Coca-Cola and Pepsi: "We won't make square tires

MotoGP is preparing for a radical change that will come into effect in 2027. Manufacturers have long been working on new 850cc engine prototypes with significantly scaled-back aerodynamics. But perhaps the biggest novelty to focus on is the change of tire supplier, with Pirelli stepping in to replace Michelin.

Pirelli entered the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships as the tire supplier in 2024, replacing Dunlop. It will debut in MotoGP next season, with a contract valid until 2031. From the very first year in the premier class, the goal is to make a winning debut, as happened in the lower categories. Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli’s Moto Racing Director, is ready for the big challenge. “Pirelli in MotoGP? We won’t be making square tires,” he said with irony and provocation in an interview with ‘AS’. “Records are important, but not only that. Our competitors are in the paddock in a different way than we will be. We offer riders two tire solutions, and they can use the compound they choose from practice through to the race.”

Founded in 1872, Pirelli can boast a long and significant tradition, both on the road and on the track, with two and four wheels. In 1982 the manufacturer produced the first radial tire; Michelin followed suit a few months later. “We’re like Coca-Cola and Pepsi,” Barbier joked. The entry into MotoGP coincides with the technical and mechanical evolution of the bikes.

A challenge within a challenge that Pirelli did not hesitate to accept. “We have a different way of building tires and we will not follow the same philosophy as the others. Even if I could cut open a Michelin tire, I wouldn’t copy it. We will continue to work in the same place, at the factory in Germany where we produce all our racing tires. It’s in Breuberg, an hour from Frankfurt.”

Michelin has been in the premier class for 11 years, so manufacturers will have to deal with a different tire. Private testing has already been underway for some time, also drawing on Pirelli’s extensive experience in SBK. “The key now is to understand the bike and do 140 kilometers of racing, but we are already working very well with the manufacturers,” continued Giorgio Barbier. “So far we’ve carried out tests in spring and winter conditions and now, with the heat, we have a very important testing season ahead to prepare the tires. That’s the job for now. Whether we’re the best or the most important part, I can’t say. But obviously, understanding the tires well is fundamental.”

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