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In the aftermath of the official announcement of the passage of tyre supply in the MotoGP championship in 2027 from Michelin to Pirelli, which is already present in Moto3 and Moto2, we had the opportunity to comment in more detail on this epochal transition together with Giorgio Barbier, the Moto Racing Director of Pirelli. A change that will take place, two years from now, in conjunction with the change in regulations, bringing with it new developments and a different approach to racing, as already experienced in other championships such as Superbike.
"As per the announcement we are still discussing important details that we cannot reveal," Barbier began, "So I expect more discussions with the FIM, MSMA and the manufacturers because we are still two years away from our debut, the bikes still have to be prepared, there are designs but I haven't seen the bikes yet so it will have to be decided when we will take to the track, with what limits, with what riders and with what rules above all, which Dorna will have to set."
When did the idea of arriving in MotoGP come about?
"Some things mature over time. Certainly creating tyre control in Superbike as Flammini and the federation did was a first brick. From there then came the others, F1, and now MotoGP. So history helps us, we started with MiniGP a few years ago just to get into GP from the bottom, from there the youngsters in 300 Supersport and the R3 Cup with inexpensive entry level bikes. Clearly entering the talent cups and the Junior cup in Spain was a consequential step. Entering Moto2 and Moto3 followed the same path, so the path to MotoGP was natural. In this world then sometimes things happen by chance, one day a light bulb goes on and you look at things differently."
Taking over all classes could prove to be a huge effort for you.
"I don't think it will be a huge effort when you consider the number of riders, and considering the categories we already follow, from Superbike to BSB to Junior GP in Spain. The effort is already very large, but coming into MotoGP will be a real bath in the prototype world. When we entered last year in Moto2 and Moto3 we did it with tyres derived from Superbike or at least tyres already on the market. For MotoGP this will not be possible; we will have to build prototypes. Our approach will definitely be different than that of other manufacturers, with hyperspecialized superprototypes, track by track. It will be a Pirelli approach, more industrial, qualitative and numerical. Consequently, the processes will be similar to the tyres we already supply, and the supply capacity will be different."
Does the change in regulations represent a help for you or could it prove to be a problem in this transition?
"You can read it from both points of view: My provocation was that when changing something so important you can take two paths, the approach can be conservative or not. What is the demand in terms of performance? Because it seems to me that the intent is to reduce them, for safety issues, for circuit issues, for performance issues. The history of racing tells us that the decline is temporary. If they told me that you have to take off 2-3 seconds per lap though, you would race like in Superbike."
Could a tyre currently in use in Superbike be an option as a first approach in MotoGP?
"No, the approach certainly doesn't have to be that. We have very special vehicles, and with humility we have to put ourselves there and understand these bikes, understand how we can develop them together with the manufacturers and organize ourselves accordingly. In MotoGP, the cornering speeds and the dynamics would certainly challenge the current Superbike tyres. To give an example, if in Superbike you run with SCX, SCQ and SC0, in Moto2 you only run with SC0, in fact this year we will introduce SCX for the first time and it will be fun. So I don't know yet what the final design will be, but it will be a quiet approach, in the sense that we will put everyone in a position to do their own race, and then we will move on to performance, because that will take time, testing and tyre development."
For MotoE, on the other hand, how will you address sustainability?
"Our approach in that sense has always been projected on the whole range, so from that point of view I am relaxed. We prefer to work in the direction of sustainability by pouring these changes over the entire production rather than a few hundred ad hoc tyres, it's a different approach."
Who will you approach this transition with, will you work in concert with the test riders from the various manufacturers like Pirro and Savadori?
"You have to keep in mind that the riders will be engaged in the championship with Michelin until 2026, so there are specific constraints to be met, so the manufacturers will rely mostly on the work of the test riders, because they will have to put together a completely new vehicle. These new vehicles will be born and grow with our new product, we have this year and a half to be able to do this work. It will also be a definite commitment for the manufacturers, because taking advantage of this work of ours can be an advantage for them in the near future, so I expect a lot of interest from them. We know the way our competitors work so we know that there are differences on the chassis part as well as on the electronics, and these will have to be fine-tuned."
In recent years the issue of tyre pressure has been key. Have you reasoned about this issue as well?
"Again, tyres and vehicles need to be addressed separately. As for tyres, we are all sensitive to pressures. Superbike was the first to introduce pressure testing. Starting with low pressure may give an initial advantage in grip but it also leads to early degradation. Compared to MotoGP, the problem is that factors like aerodynamics and lowerers affect tyre temperature very negatively, and this has led the manufacturer to protect themselves with difficult rules. We have been criticized for having high-performance tyres that drop, but I prefer that to constantly going back and forth to manage pressures. These are choices you make, it's clear that as a function of safety what has been done so far has been right, but managing the rules becomes an issue."
Will there also be a possible return of the performance tyre?
"In Superbike when the superpole race was introduced, we couldn't give them a performance tyre on lap 20, so came the SCX and then the SCQ. These things didn't come from us, but because in many championships the races got shorter and the requirements changed. In MotoGP in the Sprints it was decided not to create special tyres, and probably when we go they will tell us that it cannot be done, but we will try to play for it. As for the talk of the intermediate tyre, some riders coming from MotoGP don't like it, but it represents a good bet for a rider and we will fight to bring it."
