Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA fit the new Ducati 959 Panigale which has been tested by the international press at Valencia

The little brother of the 1299 Panigale will be on sale with Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA hypersport tyres as original equipment (in 120/70 ZR17 on the front and 180/60 ZR17 on the rear)

The dynamic press launch of the new Ducati 959 Panigale, which is ongoing at Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, the first event for the international press to test the latest motorcycles presented by the Borgo Panigale based manufacturer, with the machines equipped with Pirelli tyres as original equipment. The Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA in 120/70 ZR 17 M/C (58W) TL front and 180/60 ZR 17 M/C (75W) TL rear are the tyres chosen for the new Ducati “Supermid” model which has become a larger capacity, even more versatile. The Ducati 959 Panigale shares the same innovative stylistic features that characterize its 'bigger brother', the 1299 Panigale - but with an engine designed for a more enjoyable everyday riding experience and more thrills on the race track. The new 955cc twin-cylinder power unit, the first Superquadro to have obtained Euro 4 type-approval, comes with a new stroke length and other innovations that have given rise to an even more impressive torque curve and increased maximum power. The Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA is a versatile hypersport tyre available for use on the road and track, designed for modern faired and naked sport bikes. They embody the three founding souls of the Pirelli sport range, combined in one product: DIABLO™, the prestigious brand which Pirelli has been providing since the beginning of the new millennium, undisputed in the bike racing and hypersport world, Rosso illustrating the all-Italian Pirelli passion for motor sport competition and Corsa; the most noble expression of power in race tyres with undisputed performance. Designed and developed based on the latest generation of powerful street bikes characterised by impressive technological equipment and electronics systems, DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA offers incredible performance thanks to the continuous research that Pirelli conducts in the radial tyre field for the FIM Superbike World Championship, the know-how acquired through vast experience in high performance segments, new techniques of road contact area optimisation in any riding conditions and the use of its racing derived tread with multi-compound zones. The DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA profiles stem from Superbike World Championship experience and were designed specifically to ensure optimum distribution of power in the road surface contact area. Therefore, the contact area with the tarmac is wider and all the power can be transmitted to the ground. Thanks to ICS (Ideal Contour Shaping) technology, born from the skill of Pirelli engineers and the support of sophisticated computerised modelling systems, DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA provides excellent support during cornering and a great feeling of confidence in turns at maximum acceleration. The structure was designed to maximise the contact area at any leaning angle in terms of surface, shape and distribution of pressure, allowing the tyre to reach exceptional levels of grip and stability. In fact, this tyre uses the Pirelli EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology) patent derived from WSBK experience for an optimised road contact area at any lean angle on the road and track in order to ensure total riding confidence and power transfer to the ground in any condition. The DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA tread design has a patented solution which provides differentiation of longitudinal grooves from side grooves in order to reduce total land/sea ratio without sacrificing water dispersal capability. The tread groove wall angle ensures an equal water flow throughout the tyre’s life because as the tyre wears, the less severe angle of the groove walls maintains consistent performance by avoiding tread edge deformation, along with a variable groove width for constant water dispersal until the last kilometre. Furthermore, both the front and rear patterns were designed incorporating FGD (Functional Groove Design) technology which guarantees racetrack performance (closer to a racing Slick) and excellent control on wet surfaces. In wet conditions, the front tyre disperses the water by cutting through and allowing the rear tyre to provide adequate grip. Grooves are located on the rear tyre exactly where needed for an optimal balance between drainage and warm-up time with a 100% slick area at maximum lean, to allow superior level grip. It features transversal grooves between the rear tyre’s central and shoulder sections to quickly disperse residual water, ensuring maximum grip throughout wet corners and the central rib which guarantees more rubber on the ground for traction and straight line stability. Among the new solutions developed for >DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA, compounds play a primary role. The front tyre compound guarantees maximum support under heavy braking and corner exit. This concept of "high grip with high stiffness" was maintained by combining compounding tools (dedicated reinforced carbon black and resins) which increase tread life and wet safety. The result is a compound with both a racing and street soul. The three zone compound on the rear tyre, on the other hand, represents the ideal way to offer the best performance where required in very different conditions, such as between racetrack and road. The differentiated compounds between shoulders and centre zone are the winning solutions engineered to give DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA top performance on the racetrack and long lasting durability on the road. Strong mileage is guaranteed by materials with high mechanical resistance in the central zone, while the high hysteresis shoulder compound gives steady grip response and incredible traction even at the highest lean angle.