Pirelli relies on new front solutions for the Assen round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship

After the inaugural round at Aragon at the beginning of the month, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship moves to the Netherlands for round two at the historic TT Circuit Assen.

The TT Circuit Assen is considered one of the most difficult tracks in the championship and is nicknamed ‘The Cathedral of Speed’ due to the high average speed riders can reach. The circuit was built in 1925 and now measures 4,542 metres with 11 right-handers and 6 left turns. Although not particularly stressed from a thermal point of view, the tyres must still be able to provide to the rider great precision and a lot of directional stability. The Assen allure lies in this series of long and constant speed turns, slow U-shaped turns with braking and sudden acceleration, fast chicanes and long turns with strong acceleration coming out of them, with the bike still leaned over. The circuit was completely resurfaced in 2020, and this represents a variable in addition to that of temperatures: the Assen round in 2021 was held in summer times with temperatures higher than previous seasons, while this year the Paddock will return to more “traditional” lower temperatures of the spring months.

The solutions for the WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes:

In the WorldSBK class, all riders will have available three front and as many rear solutions.

For the front tyre, Pirelli allows the choice between a standard solution, the standard SC1 soft compound, and two development solutions. The development solution A0674 in soft compound was used by the riders last year in Jerez and Portimão, as well as in the inaugural round of Aragon in 2022. Compared to the standard SC1, this features a new structure developed to improve front end feeling by increasing support in mid and corner entry. The development solution A0843 is making its debut here in Assen: it uses the same structure as the A0674 spec with a new tread compound, to give better mechanical resistance and wear protection in demanding circuits like this one.

As for the rear tyre options, riders have available the soft SC0 compound and the super soft SCX compound, also known in 2021 as the development solution A0557. The development solution SCQ in A1359 specification represents the first extra soft compound tyre that was validated by the riders during the winter tests, allowing in Aragon for a considerable improvement in lap times compared to the previous qualifying splution.

In case of bad weather, Pirelli allows riders to make a choice with rain tyres. At the front, the teams can choose between the standard rain solution and the development solution in A0593 specification, presented last year in Donington and used by several riders. At the rear, in case of bad weather, the choice will fall between the standard SCR1 rain solution, known in 2021 as the development solution in X1251 specification, and the standard SCR2 solution, preferable in case of warmer temperatures.

In the WorldSSP category there will be five dry solutions available to the riders, two for the front and as many for the rear. For the front Pirelli will allow a choice between the new standard SC1 soft compound, evolution of the development SC1 A0460, and a standard SC2 medium compound. For the rear, WSSP riders will have at their disposal the super soft compound SCX, the soft compound SC0 and the medium SC1 compound, all from the standard range.

More details on the race solutions for WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes are available in the technical sheets attached to this press release.

The 2021 Pirelli statistics for Assen

WorldSBK

• Number of solutions (including dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 7 front and 8 rear.
• Number of tyres available to each WorldSBK rider: 40 front and 42 rear.
• Best Lap Awards Superbike both won by: Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) in 1'34.654 (Race 1, lap 2) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) in 1'34.698 (Race 2, lap 6)
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike in WorldSBK race: 297,5 km/h, by Álvaro Bautista (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R) in Race 1, lap 1
• Temperature in Race 1: air 25° C, asphalt 38° C
• Temperature in Race 2: air 23° C, asphalt 32° C

WorldSSP

• Number of solutions (including dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSSP class: 5 front and 5 rear.
• Number of tyres available to each WorldSSP rider: 28 front and 29 rear
• Best Lap Awards Supersport both won by: Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6) in 1'37.688 (Race 1, lap 17) and in 1'38013 (Race 2, lap 13)
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike in WorldSSP race: 257,1 km/h, by Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing / Yamaha YZF R6) in Race 1 on lap 2