Longtime supplier Pirelli to exit after 2026 as Michelin secures exclusive five-year deal
Just two days after the end of the first half of the 2025 WorldSBK season at Misano official confirmation came through that Pirelli would no longer be the sole WorldSBK tyre supplier from 2027 onwards – and Michelin would.
After Pirelli was announced as the MotoGP class tyre supplier some time ago, the possibility of the Italian brand leaving its now traditional commercial and technical racing ‘home’ in WorldSBK first came into question.
Especially as they are providing Moto2 and Moto3 tyres already.
It seems obvious that Pirelli would have been happy to stay in WorldSBK, as well as taking over MotoGP, according to comments made by Pirelli bosses as late as the Misano round.
The reason why there was no new Pirelli deal in the works after 2026 in WorldSBK was soon made obvious, via a Michelin press release on Tuesday 17 June.
A five year sole supplier deal for all WorldSBK classes (taking them to 2031 at least) had obviously already been made between Dorna and Michelin.
We can think of several logical reasons why.
One is to stop Dorna having just one tyre company supplying racing products right across what is already a contentious monopoly of the two biggest global bike racing series of all.
One other reason for this change could well be financial, with Michelin presumably now paying Dorna a less for WorldSBK tyre support and partnership than they did while they were the headlining MotoGP tyre suppliers. So without having to keep what must assume was money for MotoGP, maybe Michelin could afford more than long-time Superbike supplier and top sponsor Pirelli had been paying – or would be prepared to pay?
Everything in MotoGP is bigger than in WorldSBK, of course, and presumably that includes cheques for any participating company and sponsor.
For Michelin WorldSBK still delivers a world championship level deal, but for what has to be presumed to be considerably less outlay. No details have been (or realistically will ever be) released on that front, of course.
Pirelli had lots of good reasons to go to MotoGP, first in the Moto3 and Moto2 classes and now MotoGP itself. One of which was to regain a truly global reach, with WorldSBK only having one long haul (Australia) right now and maybe even on into 2026. Until relatively recently there were also ‘fly-away’ rounds in Asia (Indonesia) and South America (Villicum) for WorldSBK, but no longer. This must be a frustration for a global company like Pirelli.
That said, it is clear that Pirelli wanted to stay in WorldSBK as well as take on all of MotoGP’s needs.
They have been the single make tyre supplier in WorldSBK since way back in 2004, and were the first company to prove that you could be a successful sole tyre supplier but also fully utilise that opportunity as the sharp tip of the tech spear to develop their race and road products.
Pirelli and WorldSBK have pretty much been synonymous for over two decades. They are a WorldSBK ‘Top Sponsor’ as it stands, but that ends after 2026.
For Michelin, once masters of the whole high end bike racing universe when they outspend and out-teched everybody else in both MotoGP and WorldSBK during the era of open tyre competition, WorldSBK became an obvious choice for 2027. And maybe something of a Hobson’s Choice’ given that they had lost the MotoGP class gig? If they wanted to have a big marketing/branding presence in global racing, the WorldSBK logic seems inescapable.
Additionally, WorldSBK (or EWC, or any other form of production-derived racing) is a more market-relevant test of their products than making more exotic small-production run offerings in MotoGP. Their own press release alluded to this.
Matthieu Bonardel, Director of Michelin Motorsport, stated, in the official press communication, “We are very pleased to be able to commit so quickly to a world-class motorcycle racing championship starting in 2027. WorldSBK offers an ideal environment to bring our technologies even closer to those used by all riders, whether on the track or on the road. The audience of this championship is mainly made up of enthusiasts who own super sport motorcycles. For them, we will do everything possible to deliver high-quality entertainment, supported by tires with outstanding performance.”
Interesting tyre times ahead for MotoGP and WorldSBK, but from 2027, remember, as each new arrangement does not start until the end of 2026.
