Milan, February 29, 2024 – Pirelli is the first company to produce a complete range of FSC^™ (Forest Stewardship Council^™) - certified tyres¹ for motorsport. Starting from this year, all the tyres used in the FIA Formula One World Championship™ will be marked with the FSC logo. This certifies that all the natural rubber² within the tyre complies with stringent environmental and social criteria required by the FSC, the world-leading non-governmental organisation for sustainable forestry.

This certification, announced on October 10 last year when Pirelli renewed its agreement as the Global Tyre Partner of Formula 1^® until at least 2027, will apply to all the tyres used on track, throughout the season, including pre-season testing. The FSC-certified tyres have been introduced following an intense development programme that began in 2022, which showed clear results in terms of both reliability and performance.

The first free practice sessions at the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024 today hosted the debut of these certified tyres at a Grand Prix^™ event. This marks a significant step, reflecting Pirelli’s commitment to delivering increasingly sustainable performance and solutions even within the special environment of motorsport, starting with its greatest technological and competitive expression, Formula 1^®.

Pirelli has been confirmed as one of the global leaders in the fight against climate change for the sixth consecutive year with a place in the 2023 Climate A list from the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), an international no-profit organisation that researches and promotes environmental information. Pirelli was also the first tyre manufacturer to be awarded a three-star rating on the FIA’s Environmental Accreditation Programme.

Together with the FIA and Formula 1^®, the Italian firm has underlined its position in the front line of research and development into new technology, both on the technical and sporting side, to support the work that has already been done in reducing CO₂ emissions throughout the entire life cycle of a Formula 1 tyre. FSC certification joins a number of initiatives already put in place for motorsport by Pirelli in recent years:

• all the tyres that Pirelli brings to the track during a Grand Prix^™ weekend – used in F1^®, F2^™, F3^™ and F1 Academy^™ – will be transformed into secondary raw materials after use, for multiple circular uses;
• the electrical energy used to make F1^®, F2^™, F3^™ and F1 Academy^™ tyres comes exclusively from 100% renewable certified sources;
• the use of ‘virtual’ design technology for all tyres not only considerably reduces development time, but above all the number of physical prototypes needed, cutting down on materials used;
• the elimination of tyre warmers in Formula 1 for full wet covers, pioneered in Monaco last year, reduces the use of electrical energy;
• more streamlined logistics, with sea freight now the preferred method of transport over air freight, cuts down on logistics emissions.

Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli Executive Vice President Motorsport, Sustainability and Future Mobility:
"The debut of our FSC-certified tyres in the world of motorsport represents a significant moment in Pirelli’s sustainability journey. In 2021 we were first to equip a road car with FSC-certified tyres, and now we are proud to be the first do so in motorsport as well. Formula 1 is an extraordinary open-air laboratory for us. It allows us not only to design and test new technology as well as improve research and development processes for roadgoing tyres, but also to unite maximum performance, typical of the demanding motorsport environment, with commitment towards an increasingly sustainable world.”

Sara Mariani, FIA Sustainability and D&I Director:
“Pirelli’s implementation of FSC-certified tyres in the FIA Formula One World Championship is a strong statement of the company’s commitment to sustainability – not just to its own targets but also in its alignment with the goals of the FIA’s Environmental Strategy, which seeks to reduce motorsport impact and reinforce the sport as a catalyst for sustainable innovation and technology. Those ambitions were fundamental to the Formula 1 tyre supply tender launched last year by the FIA for 2025 and beyond and following its successful bid Pirelli has admirably already begun to innovate in pursuit of even greater sustainability with the introduction of FSC-certified tyres in 2024.”

Ellen Jones, Formula 1 Head of ESG:
“Formula 1 is proud to collaborate with Pirelli on sustainability topics at every level, as the introduction of FSC-certified tyres shows. This is an important and positive step forward, as well as another example of how our partners are demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices as we continue our mission towards Net Zero by 2030. We can’t wait to see the new FSC-certified tyres in action this weekend in Bahrain and then throughout the rest of the season.” 

Fabian Farkas, Forest Stewardship Council International Commercial Director:
“The FSC logo and certification are the reference standard for sustainable forest management. The automotive industry needs to react to alleviate the pressure that natural rubber production places on forest ecosystems and communities. We applaud Pirelli’s leadership in confronting the complex environmental and socio-economic challenges within the natural rubber value chain. This initiative shows that performance and sustainability can co-exist side by side, and the FSC is ready to support companies at a global level to follow this example.”

What is FSC certification?
The Forest Stewardship Council^™ (FSC^™) – a non-profit organization governed by environmental, social, and economic perspectives equally – covers more than 150 million hectares of certified forests and is the global benchmark for sustainable forestry. FSC’s strict forest management standards require that forests are managed to preserve biological diversity, while benefitting local workers and communities in way that is economically beneficial for them. The robust FSC certification process ensures that all certified material is separated from non-certified material throughout the supply chain, from plantation to tyre manufacturer.

Pirelli’s natural rubber supply chain
FSC certification of the natural rubber from certified plantations used by Pirelli to make tyres for the FIA Formula One World Championship is the latest step in the company’s long-running programme to sustainably manage the natural rubber supply chain. This is achieved via a roadmap of best practice in the different countries of origin for natural rubber, in line with the principles and values set out in the Pirelli Sustainable Natural Rubber Policy from 2017. This document is the result of consultation with key stakeholders in the natural rubber value chain, including international NGOs, Pirelli’s main natural rubber suppliers, growers and sellers in the supply chain, automotive clients, and other global organisations.

¹ Tyres are FSC-certified (FSC ® N003618) as “MIX Natural Rubber” since tyres are made of a combination of natural and synthetic rubber, in conformity to the FSC® ADVICE-40-004-15.
² Natural Rubber equates to 15% on tyre weight, on average.

SRO Motorsports Group and Pirelli will extend their long-standing partnership through the 2028 season thanks to a new five-year agreement that is currently being finalised. 

The renowned Italian manufacturer will continue to fulfil the role of exclusive tyre supplier to the SRO series competing across the globe, as well as all standalone GT4 licensed series. It will also remain the sole supplier to the Fanatec GT2 European Series, which will become the "Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli" from 2024 onwards. All three categories use the same high-performance tyre, P Zero DHF, which was introduced ahead of the 2022 season. Pirelli will continue to develop its products so as to match the ongoing evolution of the discipline, in particular with the debut of the latest generation of GT3 cars in 2025. 

The fresh agreement extends a successful working relationship that began a decade ago in 2013, when Pirelli became supplier for what is today the Fanatec GT Europe Endurance Cup. This includes the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the highlight of the global SRO calendar and the ultimate exemplar of Pirelli's expertise. The event requires a truly remarkable effort from the firm, which provides approximately 15,000 tyres from its state-of-the-art fitting village within the paddock. 

While the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa represents the pinnacle, it is just one among hundreds of races organised by SRO at which Pirelli is relied upon to supply the full grid. They include high-level international events in Intercontinental GT Challenge and Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS series in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Over the years Pirelli has also created local teams of technicians and engineers to better support customers and drivers in each geographical area, such as North America, Asia and Australia. 

Pirelli also plays an important role in ensuring a solid platform for SRO’s globally respected balance of performance (BOP) criteria, helping to ensure close and competitive racing between a broad spectrum of GT3 cars. In this respect, the relationship guarantees stability on and off the track, laying the foundations for an even more exciting and sustainability-conscious future. 

Stéphane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group founder & CEO: "Success in motor racing requires the very best partners and, in Pirelli, we have exactly that. For the past decade they have provided a world-class product to our teams, while also adding considerable commercial and technical support to our series and one-off events around the globe. It was natural, therefore, that we should extend our cooperation by a further five years." 

Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director: "It is a source of great satisfaction for us to continue to provide such exciting and increasingly popular championships. In these years of collaboration with SRO, we have supported the evolution of cars and race formats around the world, and we will reinforce this commitment over the next five years, confirming the spirit that has always distinguished us and associated us with the Organizer: a strong focus on customer and fan satisfaction".

Colajanni is an experienced professional in the field of sports communications and motorsport communications in particular. Among the main milestones of his career, which began as press officer for the Italia '90 football World Cup, are top positions at Scuderia Ferrari, in which he held a number of roles including Head of Communications and External Relations, and at Formula One Management as Head of the Motorsport Press Office.

The mud and slippery ground highlighted the attributes of the Pirelli wares in the MX1 category; a contest that was won by Romain Febvre. The Frenchman managed to surprise Antonio Cairoli in the final laps to cross the finish line in first position. Jeremy Van Horebeek took third place. The nine-times World Champion retaliated by winning the Supercampione – a race in which the first twenty riders in the MX1 and MX divisions take part - ahead of Febvre and Alessandro Lupino in third. Cairoli leads the standings in both MX1 and Supercampione with only one race to close the championship.

Pirelli grabbed victory also in MX2 thanks to the excellent speed of Maxime Renaux who, thanks to this result, jumped to the head of the championship standings. Samuele Bernardini also rode well for third place and Gianluca Facchetti was fourth.

MX2Pirelli also toasted standout results at the Hawkstone Park International in England. Jeffrey Herlings dominated MX1 with Red Bull KTM teammate Glenn Coldenhoff in second and Gautier Paulin third. Pirellialso ruled the podium in MX2 with Pauls Jonass on the top step in front of Thomas Kjer Olsen and Conrad Mewse.

Next Sunday the ‘Tazio Nuvolari‘ circuit in Mantova will host the final round of the 2018 ‘Internazionali d’Italia Motocross’.

Round 2 results (Pirelli riders in bold):

MX1

1. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)

2. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)

3. VAN HOREBEEK Jeremy (BEL)

4. MONTICELLI Ivo (ITA)

5. LEOK Tanel (EST)

MX2:

1. RENAUX Maxime (FRA)

2. CERVELLIN Michele (ITA)

3. BERNARDINI Samuele (ITA)

4. FACCHETTI Gianluca (ITA)

5. TROPEPE Giuseppe (ITA)

SUPERCAMPIONE

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)

2. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)

3. LUPINO Alessandro (ITA)

4. MONTICELLI Ivo (ITA)

5. OSTLUND Alvin (SWE)
 

Championship overall:

MX1

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA) p.220

2. FEBVRE Romain (FRA) p.180

3. VAN HOREBEEK Jeremy (BEL) p.160

4. LEOK Tanel (EST) p.110

5. ANSTIE Max (GBR) (FRA) p.110
 

MX2

1. RENAUX Maxime (FRA) p.165

2. CERVELLIN Michele (ITA) p.160

3. LAWRENCE Hunter (AUS) p.120

4. BERNARDINI Samuele (ITA) p.116

5. OSTLUND Alvin (SWE) p.101

SUPERCAMPIONE

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA) p.240

2. FEBVRE Romain (FRA) p.180

3. LEOK Tanel (EST) p.105

4. ANSTIE Max (GBR) p.100

5. LUPINO Alessandro (ITA) p.97

test estra textbloick

In WorldSSP600 the win went to Frenchman Jules Cluzel who, with his team NRT Yamaha YZF-R6, but leading the overall rider standings is compatriot Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team).In WorldSSP300 after a race full of surprises and close-quarter battles, German rider Luca Grunwald (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) triumphed, while in the FIM Superstock1000 European Championship, victory went to another German rider, Markus Reiterberger (Alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW), winner of the opening race in Aragón.

The Pirelli tyres also performed well on a demanding track like Assen, especially for the front, letting the riders go race distance without any particular difficulties. Both in the top class and in the WorldSSP600 category, the riders made very similar tyre choices, demonstrating the versatility of the solutions brought by Pirelli in adapting to all of the different bike brands.

In Race 2, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) got off the grid well from pole position ahead of Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).At the start of the second lap, the Italian Ducati rider went wide on a turn and was overtaken by several riders, leaving third place to Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).In the meantime, Race 1 winner Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), starting from the ninth spot on the grid due to the inversion system between Race 1 and Race 2, moved up to fourth place behind Van Der Mark, who he managed to overtake shortly thereafter, catching up to Spaniard Xavi Forés.Tom Sykes led the race with a two and a half second advantage ahead of Forés and more than three seconds ahead of teammate Rea.During the seventh lap, Rea managed to snatch second place from Forés and a little later, Van der Mark also overtook the Spaniard, setting off to chase down the Kawasaki riders.During the thirteenth lap, hometown hero Michael Van Der Mark battled reigning World Champion Jonathan Rea for second, managing to overtake him, but in the fourteenth lap Rea too back the position.Tom Sykes led the race all alone at the front with a gap of more than six seconds ahead of his teammate and Michael Van Der Mark. Behind the leading trio were the Ducatis ridden by Xavi Forés and Chaz Davies.The final laps of the race held no surprises and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished first with a five and a half second lead over teammate Jonathan Rea, second, and more than seven and a half seconds ahead of Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), third.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings: 
1) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
3) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
4) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)
5) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
6) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
7) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
8) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
9) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
10) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
11) D. Giugliano (Milwaukee Aprilia)
12) M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Junior Team)
13) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
14) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
15) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)
16) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
RT) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
RT) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

At 11:30 AM local time, before Race 2 of WorldSBK, the FIM Supersport World Championship race was held with Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) starting from pole position.At the start, the German Yamaha rider started well, but shortly thereafter, Frenchman Jules Cluzel (NRT), also on Yamaha and starting from the fourth spot on the grid, managed to move into the race lead. Behind him, defending World Champion Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) was ahead of pole man Cortese, who had dropped back to third place in the meantime.At the mid-race point, Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag), who had started from the third spot on the grid, got back in the mix, besting both Cortese and Mahias to move into second place behind race leader Cluzel.During the thirteenth lap, Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team), after starting from the sixth spot on the grid, overtook Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) virtually moving into position at the foot of the podium, but a few turns later, the Italian GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team rider was forced to retire due to a crash on turn 6.Jules Cluzel, Raffaele De Rosa, Sandro Cortese, Randy Krummenacher and Lucas Mahias led the front group in that order, all within a second and a half of one another.In the final laps, Randy Krummenacher managed to get past Cortese, moving into third place, and shortly thereafter he overtook Raffaele De Rosa, setting off to chase down Cluzel on the last lap. The German BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team rider pulled out all the stops, but in the end, the race win went to Jules Cluzel (NRT) ahead of Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) and Italian rider Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag).

WorldSSP standings: 
1) J. Cluzel (NRT)
2) R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)
3) R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
4) L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
5) S. Cortese (Kallio Racing)
6) N. Tuuli (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
7) R. Hartog (Team Hartog - Against Cancer)
8) T. Gradinger (NRT)
9) L. Cresson (Kallio Racing)
10) H. Soomer (Racedays)
11) A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
12) A. Irwin (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
13) W. Tessels (Chromeburner Wayne's Racingteam MtM)
14) E. Lahti (Sterkman Motorsport by HRP)
15) L. Stapleford (Profile Racing)
16) S. Hill (Profile Racing)
17) N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
18) V. Van Der Valk (Benro Racing)
19) P. Sebestyen (SSP Hungary Racing)
20) A. Coppola (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Junior Team)
RT) M. Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
RT) F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
RT) H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
RT) L. Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
RT) K. Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini)
RT) S. Morais (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
RT) J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini)

In the third race of the day on Sunday, the Supersport 300 World Championship race, German rider Luca Grunwald (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) finished on the top step of the podium with his KTM RC 390 R after a spectacular race filled with surprises and crashes. The KTM rider finished ahead of Dutchmen Gleen Van Straalen (KTM Fortron Racing Team), second, and Scott Deroue (Motoport Kawasaki), third.

As always, the closing event of the race weekend was the FIM Superstock1000 European Championship race. In this second round, it was once again German rider Markus Reiterberger (alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW)on BMW winning ahead of Italian Roberto Tamburini (Berclaz Racing Team SA) and Chilean rider Maximilian Scheib (Aprilia Racing Team).

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 2 and WorldSSP:

 In Race 2, partly because of the weather conditions which were similar to yesterday, all the riders confirmed the choices made in Race 1, with the exception of Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)who changed his front tyre, going with the hardest of the available solutions, namely the X0120 SC3 development solution (option D).On the front, the most used solution was still the V0952 SC1 development tyre (option B), whereas on the rear, all the riders used the W1050 SC0 development solution (option A).

In the WorldSSP race, the riders made very similar choices to one another. On the rear, they basically all used the X0093 SC1 development tyre (option A), whereas for the front, 22 out of the 27 riders on the grid opted for the X0012 SC1 development solution (option B). Only 5 chose the standard SC1 (option A).

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2: 

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK),in 1'35.218 at the 3^rd lap

• Most used front solution: development SC1 V0952 (17 out of 18 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC0 W1050 (18 out of 18 riders) 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 289.5 km/h, achieved by Patrick Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) in the 1^st lap 

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 6 front and 7 rear Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 76, including 39 front and 37 rear 

• Air temperature: 23° C 

• Asphalt temperature: 32° C  

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP race: 

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team), in 1'38.108 in the 11^th lap 

• Most used front solution: development SC1 X0012 (22 out of 27 riders) 

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 X0093 (26 out of 27 riders) 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tyres: 257.8 km/h, achieved by Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing) in the 6^th lap 

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSSP class: 5 front and 4 rear Number of tyres available for each WorldSSP rider: 47, including 26 front and 21 rear 

• Air temperature: 20° C 

• Asphalt temperature: 24° C

WHAT TO EXPEXCT
Monza is the fastest circuit of the championship, so it’s vital to manage the tyres to keep the compound within the ideal temperature window (remembering of course that on the long straights the tyre can ‘rest’ and cool down). With high speeds and fast corners, Monza is a massive test for tyres as so much energy is put through them. The drivers will have to pay particular attention to the two Lesmo corners as well as Ascari and Parabolica, bearing in mind also that the cars carry the lowest downforce settings of the year to enhance top speed. At the end of the straight, they will be touching 280kph…

ANY SURPRISE IN STORE?
The new Pirelli P Zero DHD2 tyre has been specifically developed for GT racing and is designed to provide a better handling balance between front and rear, which is particularly useful on the more technical circuits. While the DHD2 makes the biggest difference at medium speed corners, it could also provide some interesting developments on the faster corners at Monza. With the new P Zero tyres having been designed to be easier to drive on the limit, the Am drivers have a chance to get closer to the Pro drivers.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
It’s important to feel every reaction from the car at Monza so as not to lose control in the highspeed sections. Such as the famous Curvone, which the cars come out of at around 260kph, flat- out in sixth gear, before tackling a braking area: testing the balance between car and tyres, as well as the instincts of the drivers. For the 2018 season the number of manufacturers represented increases to 11, making it this the championship with the highest number of represented manufacturers in Europe. The Lexus RC F GT3 embarks on its first full season while the latest Bentley Continental GT3 makes its competition debut. Matteo Braga, circuit technical manager: “While our DHD2 tyres have already made their public debut and raced on different events all around the world, this is the first time that they will compete on such a rapid track as Monza as part of the Endurance Cup. As a result, they will be expected to withstand the extremely heavy loadings typical of this circuit, providing not just consistent pace, but also reliability over a long period of time.”

***

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Pirelli Press OfficePh. +39 02 6442 4270 –pressoffice@pirelli.com – www.pirelli.com

In the FIM Supersport World Championship, on the other hand, it was Yamaha who dominated among the manufacturers, monopolising the podium today with race winner Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) who finished ahead of Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) and Jules Cluzel (NRT), all three aside a YZF-R6 from the Iwata-based manufacturer.

Austrian manufacturer KTM, on the other hand, took the first race of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship season with rookie Koen Meuffels, whereas in Superstock 1000 the winner was German rider Markus Reiterberger on BMW.

Satisfaction for Pirelli as well who, on the occasion of the first European round, brought various new development solutions both for the top class and for Supersport600, very popular and used by the riders throughout the weekend.

In Race 2, Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) started from the first spot on the grid. At the start, the Italian seemed to be in difficulty and was overtaken by Dutchman Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who had started behind him, but shortly thereafter, Melandri managed to regain the lost position.In the meantime, Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team), who had started from the seventh spot on the grid astride his number 12 private Ducati, managed to move all the way up to the front, even snatching the lead from Melandri who was also passed by Race 1 winner Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).During the seventh lap, the Northern Irish defending world champion became menacing behind Forés, who had an advantage of just over a tenth. Behind Forés and Rea, closing out the leading group, were the Ducati machines ridden by Melandri and Davies.Unfortunately, during the eighth lap, the Barni Racing Team Spaniard was forced to bid the race goodbye due to a sliding crash, leaving Rea in the lead.However, the factory Ducati riders, Melandri and Davies, had no intention of letting the Kawasaki rider pull away at the front and they hounded him closely at a gap of less than four tenths.The Ducati riding Welshman seemed to be faster than his Italian teammate and during the twelfth lap, he managed to overtake him. This began Davies' pursuit of Rea, with the Ducati rider extremely fast and, at the start of the fourteenth lap, he managed to overtake the reigning World Champion at the end of the starting straight.Rea gave it his all to take back the lost position, but Davies managed to maintain nerves of steel, not making any mistakes and thereby being the first to pass under the chequered flag ahead of the Northern Irishman and teammate Marco Melandri. Fourth and fifth place went to the Yamahas ridden by Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings: 
1) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
3) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
4) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
5) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
6) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
7) M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Junior Team)
8) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
9) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
10) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
11) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
12) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
13) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
14) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
15) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
16) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
17) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)
18) V. Leonov (SPB Racing Team)
19) D. Giugliano (Milwaukee Aprilia)
RT) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)

Race 2 was preceded by the FIM Supersport World Championship race, with German rider Sandro Cortese starting from pole position astride his team Kallio Racing Yamaha. On the first two rows, five out of the six riders were on the YZF-R6 from the Iwata-based manufacturer. It was an excellent start for Jules Cluzel (NRT) who, starting from the sixth spot on the grid, moved into the race lead, staying there until the mid-race point when he yielded the position to Cortese.The German rider of Italian origin headed up the leading quartet that included, in order, Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team), Jules Cluzel (NRT) and defending World Champion Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team), all within just over a second of one another.In the final laps, it was a battle between Cortese and Caricasulo, with the factory Yamaha Italian rider managing to overtake the German on the thirteenth lap, thereby moving into the lead. Shortly thereafter, however, the private team Kallio Racing rider took back the lost position. In the finale, Frenchman Cluzel tried to take back second place from Caricasulo, but the Italian successfully warded off his attacks. In the end, Sandro Cortese crossed the finish line first ahead of Federico Caricasulo, second, and Jules Cluzel, third.

WorldSSP standings: 
1) S. Cortese (Kallio Racing)
2) F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
3) J. Cluzel (NRT)
4) L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
5) K. Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini)
6) L. Stapleford (Profile Racing)
7) S. Morais (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
8) N. Tuuli (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
9) A. West (EAB antwest Racing)
10) R. Hartog (Team Hartog - Against Cancer)
11) R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)
12) L. Cresson (Kallio Racing)
13) E. Lahti (Sterkman Motorsport by HRP)
14) M. Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
15) S. Hill (Profile Racing)
16) C. Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha)
17) N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
18) H. Soomer (Racedays)
19) J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini)
20) A. Irwin (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
21) P. Sebestyen (SSP Hungary Racing)
22) W. Tessels (Chromeburner Wayne's Racingteam MtM)
23) T. Gradinger (NRT)
24) L. Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
RT) H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
RT) A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
RT) R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
RT) A. Coppola (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Junior Team)

The third event of the day was the Supersport 300 World Championship which started at 2:20 PM local time with the win going to Dutch Rookie Koen Meuffels (KTM Fortron Junior Team) who, astride his KTM RC 390 R finished ahead of compatriot Scott Deroue (Motoport Kawasaki) and Spaniard Mika Perez (Kawasaki ParkingGO Team), third.

Finishing out the race weekend was FIM Superstock1000 European Championship. In this first round, it was German rider Markus Reiterberger (alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW) on BMW who won ahead of Italians Roberto Tamburini (Berclaz Racing Team SA) and Federico Sandi (MOTOCORSA Racing).

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 2 and WorldSSP:

Many changes were made by the riders in Race 2 compared to the solutions used yesterday at the Race 1 restart, primarily due to the much higher asphalt temperatures.On the rear, all the riders used the softest solution of those brought to this round by Pirelli, namely the new W1050 SC0 development tyre (option A) which obviously, with an asphalt temperature of 30°C, provided a clear advantage with respect to the medium solutions.On the front, the V0952 SC1 development tyre (option C) was confirmed as the favourite solution among the riders, although, compared to Race 1, it lost a bit of popularity in favour of the W0494 SC1 development tyre (option D).

In the WorldSSP race, the riders made very similar choices to one another. On the rear, the practically all used the new X0093 SC1 development solution (option A), with the exception of West and Sebestyen, who preferred the standard SC1.As for the front, 18 out of the 28 riders on the grid opted for the standard SC1 (option A)and the remaining went with the new X0012 SC1 development solution (option B).

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2: 

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati),in 1'51.048 at the 16^th lap 

• Most used front solution: development SC1 V0952 (13 out of 20 riders) • Most used rear solution: development SC0 W1050 (20 out of 20 riders) 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 318.6 km/h, achieved by Patrick Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) in the 5^th lap 

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 6 front and 6 rear 

Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 73, including 39 front and 34 rear 

• Air temperature: 19° C 

• Asphalt temperature: 30° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP race: 

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing), in 1'54.644 in the 10^th lap 

• Most used front solution: standard SC1 (18 out of 28 riders) 

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 X0093 (26 out of 28 riders) 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tyres: 282 km/h, achieved by Thomas Gradinger (NRT) in the 2^nd lap 

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSSP class: 5 front and 4 rear 

Number of tyres available for each WorldSSP rider: 48, including 27 front and 21 rear 

• Air temperature: 17° C 

• Asphalt temperature: 22° C

Faggioli breaks his own record. As he prepares for an assault on the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb in Colorado later this year, the 10-time European Champion in this specialised discipline underlined his scintillating form, making the very most of his car and its Pirelli P Zero supersoft tyres. On the first of two runs he broke the course record of 2m14.848s that he had established back in 2016, setting a new best time of 2m14.143s at an average speed of 136kph. Unfortunately, a mechanical problem meant that the Italian was not able to do a second run and match the victory he claimed on this event last year.

Andreucci sets a new record for consecutive wins at Sanremo. Faggioli’s record was set during the same weekend that another new benchmark was established by one of Pirelli’s best-known champions: Paolo Andreucci. The reigning Italian rally champion, co-driven by Anna Andreussi in their Peugeot 208 T16, won the famous Sanremo Rally for the fourth consecutive time, which nobody else in rallying history has ever done before.

Completing Pirelli’s triumph were two more class victories at the Sanremo Rally, with Lucio Da Zanche and Daniele De Luis winning the historic section in their Porsche 911 SC on Pirelli P7 Corsa Classic tyres, while Gabriele Cogni and Marco Pollicino dominated the Leggenda classification in a Skoda Fabia R5, running on the same Pirelli P Zero RK5 tyres that Andreucci used to win overall. Andrea Crugnola also triumphed in the Italian asphalt championship category, taking a Ford Fiesta R5 to sixth overall.

Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager. “We were eagerly anticipating this weekend as it contained two very important events for our tyres and their drivers. In France, Simone Faggioli underlined the excellence of the Pirelli P Zero product for hillclimbs, which has claimed the championship every year since we entered the sport. Only bad luck meant he wasn’t able to complement his brilliant new course record with another overall victory. On the Sanremo Rally, which celebrated its 90th anniversary this year, the stages were as usual extremely variable and challenging. Drivers had to tackle fog, slippery surfaces and dirty roads during the night stages on Friday, mainly using the soft compound P Zero RKW7B tyres. On Saturday, good weather and dry roads offered plenty of grip, where Paolo Andreucci used the harder P Zero RK5 tyres to beat the record for consecutive wins on this legendary Italian event.”

The choice of tyres to use, partly because of the rather low temperatures, was not an easy one. On the rear, most of the riders used the new X0140 SC1 development tyre, designed by Pirelli to provide extremely consistent performance and low wear. As for the front, the V0952 SC1 development solution was confirmed as the most popular with the riders.

At the start of Race 1, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) got off the grid well, whereas Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), starting from pole position, lost several spots. During the third lap, an accident involving Leon Camier and Lorenzo Savadori forced race direction to wave the red flag and bring all the riders back to pit lane in order to provide first aid for Leon Camier and get the bikes out of the way. At the restart, there were seventeen laps left to race. Rea started well straight away, but during the third lap, it was Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who moved into the race lead. Behind them were Ducati riders Marco Melandri, Xavi Forès (Barni Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

During the fourth lap, Rea took back the lead after overtaking Lowes and shortly thereafter, the latter was forced to yield ground to Melandri and Forés.The factory team and privateer Ducati machines set off in pursuit of the defending World Champion's Kawasaki, forming a leading trio packed into a space of half a second.In the meantime, Davies moved into fourth place and Michael Van Der Mark was lying fifth while his Dutch teammate slid back into sixth place.At the mid-race point, Xavi Forés managed to overtake first Marco Melandri's factory Ducati and then Jonathan Rea, thereby becoming the new race leader. But Rea was having none of it, and during the thirteenth lap he regained the lost position, leaving behind the three Ducati riders, Forés, Melandri and Davies. In the finale, the Northern Irishman pulled two seconds ahead of his pursuers, crossing the finish line first. Behind him, Chaz Davies finished second, overtaking both his teammate Marco Melandri and Xavi Forés on the very last lap. The performance by Xavi Forés was noteworthy, finishing on the bottom step of the podium after dominating with his privateer Barni Racing Team Ducati for several laps. Fourth place for Marco Melandri.

WorldSBK Race 1 standings: 
1) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
3) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)
4) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
5) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
6) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
7) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
8) M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Junior Team)
9) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
10) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
11) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
12) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) 13) D. Giugliano (Milwaukee Aprilia)
14) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
15) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
16) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
17) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)
RT) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
RT) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
RT) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
RT) V. Leonov (SPB Racing Team)  

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 1: 

In Race 1, the riders used more or less all of the solutions available to them.On the rear, partly due to the asphalt temperatures lower than 20°C, rider preferences fell to the new X0140 SC1 development tyre (option B), used by 13 out of the 20 riders on the grid. The remaining riders opted for the standard SC1 (option C) or the new W1050 SC0 development solution (option A).

As for the front, the most used solution was once again the V0952 SC1 development tyre (option C), chosen by almost all the riders on the grid. The new W0494 SC1 development solution (option D) was used by Jonathan Rea, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Román Ramos.

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 1: 

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati),in 1'50.663 at the 2^nd lap
• Most used front solution: devolpment SC1 V0952 (17 out of 20 riders)
• Most used rear solution: devolpment SC1 X0140 (13 out of 20 riders)
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 316.7 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the 3^rd lap
• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 6 front and 6 rear
• Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 73, including 39 front and 34 rear• Air temperature: 11° C
• Asphalt temperature: 19° C

Since the launch of the original DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA in 2010, motorcycles and the needs of motorcyclists have evolved, they now look for sporty performance combined with versatility, not only on track but also on the road. Motorcycle torque and horsepower outputs have increased significantly and the introduction of sophisticated traction control systems and cornering ABS have enabled these performance gains to be applied by more riders able to reach greater lean angles. Consequently the claim chosen by Pirelli to accompany the new product is "Follow your leanings". In fact, to meet these requirements, Pirelli engineers had to develop a new technological solution for DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II, using different compounds, precisely positioned along the tyre profile. In this way they managed to increase front grip during turn-in and braking whilst leaning and rear grip at full lean angles from mid-corner to exit. The result is a tyre that provides confident “feel” and safety on the road in all conditions, with outstanding performance and increased mileage and an excellent product for track day sessions.

DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II is the Pirelli interpretation of the multi-compound technology applied to a motorcycle tyre derived from racing for use both on track and on road. DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II is the first ever Pirelli motorcycle multi-compound tyre that uses two compounds applied in three zones on the front tyre and three compounds applied at five zones on the rear, to create the ideal combination for modern motorcycles.Innovative profiles, a new structure derived from racing and a new tread design make this tyre the best balance for riders wanting an excellent street tyre that is also effective for the racetrack.

As exclusive FIM Superbike World Championship supplier since 2004, one of Pirelli’s most important strategies in the series has been to develop winning tyre technologies that work for all manufacturers’ motorcycles. Using these technologies for road solutions created Pirelli’s claim: “We sell what we race and we race what we sell”. The new DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II underlines the truth behind this mantra.

DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II is intended for riders of mid-high performance motorcycles who enjoy a sports riding style on the street and not just on the racetrack. They desire a tyre with fast warm-up, sports agility, excellent grip and consistent performance ready to compete against the challenges of everyday use. Pirelli have now transformed racetrack performance into street versatility to guarantee top performance also on road.

Below is a table that summarizes the main characteristics of the DIABLO ROSSO ™ CORSA II and the benefits derived for the motorcyclist.

THE NEW TYRE IN DETAIL

Pirelli’s multi-compound technology 

The Racing Street tyre sector has been in constant evolution, adapting to the ever-changing demands of the latest power outputs, riding modes and traction control systems. The demands of riders are also evolving, now wanting sports-grade performance and versatility, whether riding on winding roads or the racetrack.

To meet these requirements, Pirelli engineers have developed a new solution for DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II, using different compounds, specifically positioned across the tyre profile.For the first time, Pirelli has designed a bi-compound solution for the front tyre — applying the two compounds in three different zones and a triple compound on the rear distributed in five zones.

With this unique design, the Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II has succeeded in perfectly blending two and three compounds (with high concentration or 100% Silica in the centre and 100% Carbon Black at the shoulders), thus maximizing grip at all lean angles and in all weather conditions.

For the rear tyre, a new combination of compounds has been developed for road and racetrack use. The rear tyre is divided into five zones with three different compounds used to provide the best performance in all environments.

• The central compound has a high silica content which ensures excellent stability at high speeds, uniform wear and good mileage.

• The intermediate compound that covers the intermediate lean angles has a formulation of 100% Silica to provide an excellent chemical grip on dry and wet surfaces, supported by a harder compound in the substrate to guarantee stability and precision when cornering.

• The compound on the shoulders is a 100% Carbon Black compound with high degree of hysteresis that transforms blend compression into heat, thus providing a fast warm-up. It also has a broad working temperature range, which guarantees grip and stable performance regardless of the load. This compound employs the same racing resins used in the DIABLO™ Supercorsa designed for use in high temperature and high stress situations typical of racetrack riding.

The front tyre was designed to work in harmony with the compound of the rear tyre and is divided into five zones with three different compounds.

• The central compound uses 100% Silica in the centre of the tread, achieving “chemical grip” on both dry and wet surfaces, as well as stability under all applications, performance typically required in street and high speed applications. Wet riding is one of the most crucial functions for a front tyre and so, unlike the rear tyre, the 100% silica compound is used on the centre.

• The compound on the shoulder is 100% Carbon Black, enabling lean angles typical of a racing product, ensuring lateral grip and strength in turns. Moreover it also provides precise feedback on corner exit, valuable features when approaching the limit both on racetrack and the road.

Racing profiles

The profiles of DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II derive directly from those used in racing.

The profile of the front tyre features a racing-derived, multi-radius design that enhances handling, inviting the rider to lean in earlier and facilitating quick changes in direction.Compared to its predecessor, the DIABLO ROSSO ™ CORSA, the profile of the new tyre is broader and wider, providing a larger, more stable contact area for the leaning motorcycle.

The reartyre follows the same pattern and similar geometry ensuring a harmonious feeling from the pair of tyres.

The tread design: the evolution of the flash

One of the strengths of the DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II is the tread pattern — an evolution of the DIABLO ROSSO™ III — optimised to provide performance similar to that of slick racetrack tyres and ensure superb control in street riding. The uninterrupted "flash" design is an effective solution in terms of tread compactness, full/void ratio, groove orientation and water drainage.

DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II offers a wide slick zone on the shoulders and thus guarantees superb grip as well as precision and stability at high lean angles.

Wide, interrupted grooves prevent tread deformation, enhancing overall compactness and, consequently, ensuring better, more uniform wear under both road and track conditions. The result is a highly stable tyre.

The full/void ratios applied on front and rear tyres of the previous model have been modified and the result is greater surface in contact with the asphalt at various lean angles and thus better overall grip under all conditions.

The central portion of the "flash" also increases the number of grooves on that portion of the profile used when leaning on a wet surface — in conventional road use this angle generally ranges from 10° to 30°. The shape of the grooves has been specially designed to achieve rapid warm-up and excellent drainage of water under wet conditions. The surface between 30° and the shoulder is the area affected when leaning; here, on the DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II, the tread grooves have been progressively reduced until the area is completely slick. No grooves means no deformation and thus utmost stability.

With the higher level of grip, corner exit under acceleration, the lateral forces generate high degrees of stress on the shoulder of the rear tyre. To support these stresses, the traction resistance of the shoulder structure has been increased.

To help riders who also ride on the racetrack determine product wear, Pirelli has inserted a Racing Wear Indicator (RWI) on the slick shoulder, the same indicator the company uses on its racing products.

The product name and "flash" symbol are presented on the tread shoulder, reaffirming its DIABLO ROSSO™ DNA, including the 0.3 mm “D” (for DIABLO™) impressed on the rear tyre central tread band, a feature which disappears after about 300 kilometres of use.

The structure derived from racing

The solutions adopted for the compound, tread and new profile, significantly improve grip and traction, making significantly higher speeds possible in lean. However, this means that the tyres are required to absorb greater dynamic forces and hence greater stresses. To address this, Pirelli employed a new structure - derived from racing - but with slightly higher structural rigidity in comparison to its predecessor so as to adapt perfectly to the stresses without forfeiting comfort.

To achieve the full potential of DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II, a high-modulus Lyocell fibre casing was adopted for the rear tyre, a casing with a significantly lower deformation ratio than that of the fibres normally used in street tyres. The high-modulus Lyocell fibre casing is an exclusive, patented Pirelli technology developed through the company's participation in the FIM Superbike World Championship.The result is a carcass that can better withstand the stresses generated when aggressively entering a corner or when accelerating sharply while the motorcycle is still leaning. The new casing also responds perfectly to roughness in the asphalt, ensuring a good degree of comfort and helps latest generation motorcycles achieve better performance when the rider shifts their weight between front and rear, a characteristic more evident at greater lean angles.

The radial casing offers a good degree of stiffness also for the front tyre, supporting the profile and enabling the blend to achieve superb grip on the asphalt. It is made of high performance Rayon, which maintains shape even under the stresses generated by acceleration forces and full loads.

The combination of front and rear structures works optimally with the latest electronic control systems, ensuring the best performance and delivering higher level of confidence and control to the rider.

The positioning in Pirelli’s supersport range

DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II is part of Pirelli's supersport range as a Racing Street product, perfectly positioned between DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP and DIABLO ROSSO™ III.Compared to the DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP, which has been designed to be used mainly on track and therefore does not have wet grip and road mileage among its target performance, DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II has been designed in terms of profile, carcass and tread design to play the typical role of a road tyre with particular attention to mileage and wet behaviour, while being able to guarantee good performance even on track.Compared to the DIABLO ROSSO™ III, which plays the role of a supersport tyre with a balanced behaviour between road performance combined with high mileage and excellent wet behaviour, DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA IIoffers a better performance on track and in dry conditions at the expense of a slightly lower mileage.

Sizes

DIABLO ROSSO™ CORSA II will come in seven sizes, one for the front tyre and six for the rear.

In the fantastic natural setting of the Trentino mountains, a large gathering of public came to watch the latest challenge between Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings in MXGP class. On this occasion the Dutchman was the fastest. He won both races and moved to first place in the championship. Cairoli finished third overall despite a small technical problem that slowed him down in the first laps of race 1. There were good results also for Romain Febvre in fourth and Glenn Coldenhoffin fifth.

Jorge Prado won the MX2 overall breaking Pauls Jonass’s hegemony who had dominated the first three grand prix of the season. The Spaniard won the first heat and finished runner-up, behind Thomas Covington, in the second one. It was an excellent performance by the American who classified second overall. Jonass, despite not having the best starts, finished in fifth place and keeps the championship lead with 28 points ahead of Prado.

In just seven days the riders will contest the “Grand Prix of Portugal” at the circuit of Agueda. 

Race results (Pirelli riders in bold): 

MXGP race 1

1. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)

2. DESALLE Clement (BEL)

3. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)

4. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)

5. GAJSER Tim (SLO) 

MXGP race 1

1. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)

2. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)

3. DESALLE Clement (BEL)

4. COLDENHOFF Glenn (NED)

5. PAULIN Gautier (FRA) 

MX2 race 1

1. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA)

2. JACOBI Henri (GER)

3. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN)

4. JONASS Pauls (LAT)

5. COVINGTON Thomas (USA) 

MX2 race 2

1. COVINGTON Thomas (USA)

2. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA)

3. BRYLYAKOV Vsevolod (RUS)

4. MEWSE Conrad (GBR)

5. VLAANDEREN Calvin (RSA) 

GP Overall: 

MXGP

1. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)

2.DESALLE Clement (BEL)

3. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)

4. COLDENHOFF Glenn (NED)

5. PAULIN Gautier (FRA) 

MX2

1. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA

)2. COVINGTON Thomas (USA)

3. JACOBI Henri (GER)

4. BRYLYAKOV Vsevolod (RUS)

5. JONASS Pauls (LAT) 

Championship overall: 

MXGP

1. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED) p.191

2. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA) p.181

3. DESALLE Clement (BEL) p.145

4. FEBVRE Romain (FRA) p.135

5. PAULIN Gautier (FRA) p.129

6. COLDENHOFF Glenn (NED) p.111

 MX2

1. JONASS Pauls (LAT) p.180

2. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA) p. 152

3. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN) p.145

4.WATSON Ben (GBR) p.105

5. MEWSE Conrad (GBR) p.100

6. LAWRENCE HUNTER (AUS) p.99

Pirelli is ready to return to the track for the third round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship which will be held on the Spanish track of MotorLand Aragón from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 April 2018 and which will see all the tracks on the track for the first time this year. Championship classes for derivatives from the series.

On the tyres side, both the WorldSBK and WorldSSP riders will be able to count on new development solutions, moreover, as already seen last years, the tyre brand will be starring in its role as Event Main Sponsor of the renamed Pirelli Aragón Round.A sponsorship deal which, in addition to the consistent presence of the Milanese tyre brand alongside teams and riders, confirms Pirelli’s commitment and enthusiasm to keep investing in the in the production derived-series as a development platform for its tyres and as an international showcase for the brand.

The Spanish track is characterized by the high level of abrasiveness of the asphalt affecting especially the rear tyres. The surface of the Aragón track has in fact a very marked roughness which will probably be combined by cooler temperatures, typical of the month of April. The possible presence of residual sand carried by the wind might further accentuate this abrasiveness. The sand that is deposited on the track surface prevents the optimal contact between the tyre tread and asphalt, and it might cause loss of grip and drifting towards the center of the corner. The rear solutions chosen by Pirelli for this track are consequently aimed at finding the right balance between stability and compound stiffness and the grip they can express when warmed-up.The front tyres, on the other hand, besides dealing with the wear caused by the asphalt’s abrasiveness, will have to cope with the heavy braking section on the straight opposite the pit lane. Also the steep slopes which put a high loading on the front tyre, just like the fast corners and the multiple changes of direction, where excellent precision and grip on the surface are required.

The solutions for the WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes 

For more information, please refer to the attached sheets.

The 2017 Pirelli statistics for Motorland Aragón 

• Total number of tyres brought by Pirelli: 4766 

• Number of solutions (including dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 7 rear 

• Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 40 front and 34 rear

• Number of solutions for the Supersport class (including dry, intermediate and wet): 6 front and 6 rear 

• Number of tyres available for each Supersport rider: 20 front and 23 rear

• Superbike Best Lap Awards won by: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team),in 1'50.597 (Race 1, 10^th lap) and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati),in 1'50.954 (Race 2, 17^th lap) 

• Supersport Best Lap Award won by: Michael Canducci (Puccetti Racing Junior Team FMI), in 1'55.609 (9^th lap) 

• Temperature in Race 1: air 14° C, asphalt 23° C 

• Temperature in Race 2: air 14° C, asphalt 23° C 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 325.3 km/h, in Race 2 by Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) at the 1^st lap. 

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa SC tyres in Supersport race: 282 km/h, by Loris Cresson (SC Racing-RPM84) at 3^rd lap.

Feature Race, the winner: Norris, a McLaren reserve driver in Formula 1, stamped his authority by winning from pole position. Like most drivers, he chose to start on the medium tyre and then switched to the soft, consistently pulling out an advantage over his pursuers in the early stages. All the stops took place within roughly the same pit stop window during the 32-lap race, between laps 14 and 18. Nonetheless, Norris emerged from his stop on lap 18 without losing the lead, finishing ahead of his team mate Sergio Sette Camara.

Lando Norris: “Formula 2 is about having to manage the tyres; trying to push the right amount and conserve the right amount: getting that balance right. You’re always concentrating, on braking right and not locking up and not wheelspinning or sliding or anything: just every lap you’re concentrating on all those things. You can’t relax, and that’s what makes it so challenging. But it was the perfect result for us.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Artem Markelov (Russian Time) was forced into a different approach after his car stalled on the grid and he had to start from the pit lane. He too began on the medium tyre before switching to soft. Incredibly, he worked his way up to third at the flag, thanks to a well-timed pit stop and a fighting drive.The Trident drivers (Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini) were the only ones to try an alternative strategy, starting on soft and then switching to medium. This wasn’t a tactic that made a difference though.

Sprint Race, the winner: Last year’s sprint race was sensationally won by Charles Leclerc, now driving for Sauber in Formula 1, by making a pit stop even though it wasn’t compulsory. This lesson was taken on board, with Prema driver Nick de Vries (the same team as Leclerc’s in 2017) being one of the drivers to try it this year, pitting from the lead on lap nine to swap the soft tyre for the medium. Equipped with faster rubber he began to make his way through the field, all the way to fifth at the finish. Race winner Artem Markelov adopted a more conventional strategy, winning on the medium tyres from sixth on the reverse grid without making a pit stop.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “The Feature Race panned out as we expected, with nearly all the drivers following the medium-soft strategy, although it was interesting to see a few drivers try the ‘Leclerc strategy’ in the Sprint Race, but with not quite the same degree of success as last year. Degradation was generally quite high on Sunday – but actually not on Saturday – with Bahrain now being the venue that has the roughest track surface of the year. There were also some high temperatures during the day but all the drivers managed these challenges well; especially Norris and Markelov.”

NEXT RACE

The next round of the Formula 2 Championship takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 27-29.

***

For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

Franceschi first in an all-French fight. As was the case in Sweden, two local drivers battled over the win in the Junior category. Terry Folb led by 14.6 seconds after just three stages, but fellow Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Franceschi reeled him in and took the lead during Saturday, when he won all six stages. He finished up 33.7 seconds clear of Folb, while Sweden’s Emil Bergkvist came third.

Italian prospect shows his class in WRC2. Young Italian driver Fabio Andolfi scored his best result to date in the WRC, with third in the WRC2 class and 11th overall. Driving a Skoda Fabia R5 on Pirelli tyres and with backing from the Italian motorsport federation, Andolfi was beaten only by more experienced factory-supported drivers.

New P Zero RK passes a rigorous test. The latest version of Pirelli’s P Zero RK made its debut in Corsica: a single tread pattern tyre, which is designed to offer good grip and directionality in a very wide variety of asphalt conditions. Corsica provides one of the most thorough tests for an asphalt tyre, with varying surface and weather conditions, as well as extremely long stages.

Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager. “Corsica contained some of the longest stages seen on the event for years, including a 55-kilometre test on the final day. Despite the length of these stages, made up of corner after corner, the tyre performance remained not only extremely consistent – allowing the Junior drivers to push with confidence – but also faster than has been seen on the Junior championship in previous years. So, we’re happy with the first outing for our latest 2018-specification asphalt P Zero RK tyres, in warm and challenging conditions throughout all three days. Congratulations to Fabio Andolfi for scoring his best result in WRC2 following a very strong rally.”

What's next? The next round of the Junior World Rally Championship will be on gravel in Portugal from May 17-20, while the next World Rally Championship event is in Argentina from April 26-29.

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on Rally Corsica, please visit: www.tourdecorse.com

Pirelli’s new P Zero DHD2 makes its debut: specifically developed for GT racing

The 2018 Blancpain GT Series is go, with the first weekend of racing at the Zolder circuit in Belgium. This marks the opening round of the Sprint Cup for drivers and teams, with two 60-minute races on the schedule: Race 1 on Saturday and Race 2 on Sunday. There are 22 cars taking the start, with consistent ambient temperatures expected, but with asphalt temperatures that vary massively from three degrees centigrade in the morning to 31 degrees in the afternoon.

PASSPORT: ZOLDER

Location: Zolder, Belgium

Date of birth: 1963

Length: 4.0 kilometres

Corners: 10 corners and three chicanes

Lap record: 1m12s

Fact of the day: the circuit hosts cycle races as well (and was the home of the Belgian Grand Prix on 10 occasions, up until 1984).

THE CIRCUIT FROM A TYRE POINT OF VIEW

Matteo Braga, circuit technical manager: “Among the peculiarities of Zolder is the weather: in the morning conditions tend to be cool and then temperatures climb higher. As a result, the teams have to manage a wide range of temperatures during the course of the day and in order to maximise the performance they have to pay particular attention to the warm-up. Furthermore, the level of competition in the Sprint Cup is very high. This means that managing the tyres is crucial when it comes to extracting every last tenth of performance.”

With a wide variety of temperatures throughout the day, a strong array of manufacturers taking part, the long corners in the first sector, and the rapid direction changes in the second and third sectors at Zolder, the track presents the ideal backdrop to confirm the conclusions drawn at the pre-season Blancpain GT test in Paul Ricard. Namely, the versatility of the new P Zero DHD2 tyres: the latest-generation tyres for GT competition, born from Pirelli’s experience as sole supplier to the Blancpain GT Series as well as other GT championships all over the world. The objective for Pirelli’s engineers was to ensure an even higher level of driveability in a wide range of usage conditions and on every type of competing car.

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Pirelli Press OfficePh. +39 02 6442 4270 –pressoffice@pirelli.com – www.pirelli.com

The challenge

• Bahrain’s Sakhir International Circuit features three long straights and some relatively slow corners. Traction and braking are therefore key, placing demands on the rear tyres.

• High temperatures mean that thermal degradation can be a significant factor, particularly as the Formula 2 races will take place during the day, unlike Formula 1.

• The teams all took part in three days of pre-season testing at the circuit last month, so the race weekend could demonstrate who made best use of that running.

The tyres and strategy

• This year’s Formula 2 tyres are similar to those used last season. The construction is almost the same, with just a few minor differences. The compounds are also very close to those used in 2017, but not identical.

• In Bahrain, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tyres will be available, as was the case at the same circuit last year. This represents the middle of the Pirelli range for Formula 2, with hard and supersoft compounds also available to be nominated during the season.

• Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two soft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

What happened last year?

The 2017 Bahrain round was one of the most notable ever in terms of tyre strategy, as Charles Leclerc won race two in unusual fashion with a pit stop for a change of tyres mid-way through. From sixth on the grid, Leclerc fought his way to the front on medium tyres and built up a big lead before pitting for the soft tyres. He returned to the track in 14th place but was able to use the speed from the soft tyre to move through the pack within nine laps.

Artem Markelov had also used strategy to win the first race, making his medium tyres last two laps longer than Leclerc and Norman Nato before using fresher soft tyres to overtake both late on.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “There haven’t been any big changes to the Formula 2 tyres since last year, but we modified the construction slightly to take into account the new turbo engine – which generates more torque – as well as the increased front downforce of the latest F2 chassis. Bahrain is a circuit that’s all about traction, so the drivers will have to manage their rear tyres in particular. Strategy as always will be very important: Formula 2 drivers don’t have to start the race using the tyres on which they qualify, which opens up the possibility of different tactics. Charles Leclerc used an innovative strategy in the sprint race last year by making a pit stop. While it seems an unlikely option again, motorsport is a constant learning process for everyone, so I’m sure that all the teams will have paid close attention to see if they can learn anything from it for this year.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.comFor more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

The challenge: Corsica is known for variable weather and uneven asphalt, with a series of switchback hairpin bends. Keeping the tyres in good condition is an essential part of the challenge, especially as there are some long stages on each day of this year’s route. The longest stage is the 55.17-kilometre test from Vero to Sarrolo-Carcopino on Sunday.

The Pirelli drivers: Following his debut win at home in Sweden, Denis Radstrom will be looking to extend his Junior championship lead on territory that is much more unfamiliar to him. He goes up against 13 other JWRC drivers in identical Ford Fiesta R2 cars, including two making their season debut: Bugra Banaz from Turkey and Umberto Accornero from Italy.In the R5 category, Fabio Andolfi will drive a Skoda Fabia backed by the Italian motorsport federation, while Pirelli is also supporting several local crews, including the all-female line-up of Laura Salini and Myriam Peretti.

The product: Pirelli will bring the P Zero RK to Corsica: a single tread pattern tyre, which is designed to offer good grip and directionality in a very wide variety of asphalt conditions. For R5 competitors, it’s available in a hard compound RK5 (the main choice) and medium RK7. For full wet conditions, the Pirelli Cinturato rain tyre is available, which is extremely efficient at evacuating water. For JWRC drivers, the RK5 tyres (for dry conditions) and RKW7 (for damp and wet conditions) are available.

The rules: The drivers are allowed to use up to 22 tyres during the event, with a separate allocation for the shakedown.

The event: Rally Corsica gets underway on Thursday 5 April with a ceremonial start in Bastia (which hasn't taken place there since 1978) before the first of 12 special stages from Friday, totalling 333.48 kilometres. The finish is at 15:00 on Sunday 8 April, in Corsica’s capital of Ajaccio. Only two stages are identical to last year, with some not used since 1999.

Pirelli quote: Terenzio Testoni, rally activity manager: “Pure asphalt is one of the toughest tests for any car – and tyre – and Corsica is probably the most selective asphalt rally of them all, where the tyres are working constantly in a very wide range of surface and weather conditions. As a result, this weekend might be the most demanding outing of the year for the P Zero RK, so we have to be prepared for anything. The very long stages that have been introduced to the schedule this year provide an extra challenge, and with only 12 stages forming the total itinerary from Friday to Sunday, no mistakes will go unpunished.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on Rally Corsica, please visit: www.tourdecorse.com

The races: The season begins with a five-hour race at Suzuka, which also hosts the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, and from this August will stage the 10 Hours of Suzuka, a round of the Pirelli-supplied Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Super Taikyu calendar also includes a 24-hour race at Fuji Speedway in June. There are also rounds at Sugo, Autopolis, Motegi and Okayama, with a mixture of single five-hour races and two three-hour races.

The competitors: Super Taikyu features a multi-class structure to accommodate a wide variety of different cars. The top category, ST-X, consists of GT3-specification cars like those that race on Pirelli tyres in the Blancpain GT Series. There are also classes for other machinery, and for cars closer to production specification. In all, there are 57 cars entered.

The products: Pirelli will supply P Zero slick tyres in a range of different sizes (15-inch, 17-inch, and 18-inch) as well as wet-weather tyres in case of rain.

Quotes: Matteo Braga, Pirelli circuit activity manager: “Super Taikyu is an exciting new project for Pirelli as we continue to increase our presence in Asia, and the first time we have supplied a championship in Japan, from Japan. With a diverse range of cars and several demanding circuits, Super Taikyu provides a challenge to a tyre supplier but it is one we are well equipped to face with our experience around the world, as well as the competence of our local team.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For more information about Super Taikyu, please visit: supertaikyu.com

Antonio Cairoli claimed both motos in the MXGP class ahead of his teammate Jeffrey Herlings. The nine-time world champion and the Dutch rider lead the championship standings on equal points. There was a good performance also by Romain Febvre who finished fourth but tied on points for the last podium spot. Gautier Paulin and Tim Gajserfinished in fifth and sixth place overall.

In the MX2 class Pauls Jonass continues to be the benchmark for speed and results. The reigning champion won both races and heads the championship standings with a thirty point advantage over Thomas Kjer Olsen, who was third overall at Redsand. Jorge Prado was very fast at his home race and occupied the second step of the podium. Fifth overall was Australian Hunter Lawrence.

In two weeks time riders will tackle the 'Grand Prix of Trentino' which will be hosted by the spectacular ‘Ciclamino' circuit of Arco di Trento, Italy.

Race results (Pirelli riders in bold):

MXGP race 1

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)
2. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)
3. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)
4. DESALLE Clement (BEL)
5. LIEBER Julien (BEL)

MXGP race 1

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)
2. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)
3. PAULIN Gautier (FRA)
4. DESALLE Clement (BEL)
5. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)

MX2 race 1

1. JONASS Pauls (LAT)
2. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA)
3. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN)
4. MEWSE Conrad (GBR)
5. LAWRENCE Hunter (AUS)

MX2 race 2

1. JONASS Pauls (LAT)
2. SANAYEI Darian (USA)
3. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA)
4. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN)
5. LAWRENCE Hunter (AUS)

GP Overall:

MXGP

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA)
2. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED)
3. DESALLE Clement (BEL)
4. FEBVRE Romain (FRA)
5. PAULIN Gautier (FRA)

MX2

1. JONASS Pauls (LAT)<
2. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA)
3. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN)
4. SANAYEI Darian (USA)
5. LAWRENCE Hunter (AUS)

Championship overall:

MXGP

1. CAIROLI Antonio (ITA) p.141
2. HERLINGS Jeffrey (NED) p.141
3. DESALLE Clement (BEL) p.103
4. FEBVRE Romain (FRA) p.101
5. PAULIN Gautier (FRA) p.98
6. COLDENHOFF Glenn (NED) p.79

MX2

1. JONASS Pauls (LAT) p.150
2. KJER OLSEN Thomas (DEN) p.120
3. PRADO GARCIA Jorge (SPA) p. 105
4. LAWRENCE HUNTER (AUS) p.99
5. MEWSE Conrad (GBR) p.81
6. WATSON Ben (GBR) p.81

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Pirelli Press Office Ph. +39 02 6442 4270 – pressoffice@pirelli.com – www.pirelli.com

In Race 2 of WorldSBK, after Marco Melandri's double win in the Australian opening round, Ducati was back on the top step of the podium thanks to a performance by Chaz Davies who, after starting from the seventh spot on the grid, managed to move up in the ranks until taking the lead just before the mid-race point and holding onto it until the end. Behind him were the factory Yamaha riders, Michael Van Der Mark and Alex Lowes, completing the Race 2 podium.

In WorldSSP, on the other hand, Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher on Yamaha won his first race ahead of factory Yamaha riders Lucas Mahias and Federico Caricasulo.

In terms of the tyres, the undisputed protagonists of the race weekend were the rear solutions in soft compound brought by Pirelli for both classes. The new standard SC0 slick, making its season début, was very popular and used in both Race 1 and Race 2 by the WorldSBK riders, whereas in the WorldSSP category, the standard grooved solution, also in SC0 compound, was actually chosen by all the riders on the grid. For the front, on the other hand, the SC1 development tyres dominated, respectively the V0952 in Superbike and the V0533 in Supersport.

At the start of Race 2, the Yamaha machines ridden by Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) moved ahead to lead the group and the battle for first place was already raging in the third lap between the two factory riders from the Iwata-based manufacturer. Behind them were the Ducatis ridden by Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), while Jonathan Rea (WorldSBK Kawasaki Racing Team), Race 1 winner and occupant of the ninth spot on the grid for this race, managed to move into fifth position. The first five riders were all within one second of one another. At the end of the seventh lap, the race lost one of its protagonists: in fact, Tom Sykes was forced to retire due to a technical problem.

In the meantime, as the mid-race point approached, Davies succeeded in getting past Alex Lowes, moving into second place behind Dutchman Van Der Mark and then overtaking him as well on the eighth lap. The satellite team Ducati rider Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team), second in Race 1, began to move up in the order and, after starting from the eighth spot on the grid, he clawed his way up to fourth behind Lowes. Race 1 winner Jonathan Rea was in difficulty, struggling to fight off the attacks by Marco Melandri to hold onto fifth place. The factory Ducati rider was then forced to yield the position to Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) who snatched sixth place from him.

In the final laps of the race, Rea managed to move up another position, overtaking Forés, but it was not enough for a podium finish. Finishing first was Welsh Ducati rider ahead of Van Der Mark and Lowes on their Yamaha machines.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings:

1) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)

3) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)

4) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)

5) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)

6) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)

7) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

8) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

9) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)

10) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)

11) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)

12) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)

13) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

14) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)

RT) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)

RT) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)

RT) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)

RT) E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia)

RT) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)

Race 2 was preceded by the FIM Supersport World Championship race, where Frenchman Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) started from pole position.

However, at the start, the Yamaha riding Frenchman lost the lead to compatriot Jules Cluzel (NRT) who was followed in turn by Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team). In fourth position behind pole man Mahias was Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team).

During the third lap, Mahias managed to move into second place, overtaking his teammate and chasing down Cluzel in an attempt to take the race lead. The first four riders were within a gap of less than nine tenths of one another. At the end of the eighth lap, coming out of the last turn before the finish line, Mahias succeeded in his attempt and, overtaking Cluzel, regained the race lead. However, the team NRT Frenchman did not let him get away and on the tenth lap he was able to overtake him again. On the following lap, the other private Yamaha rider, Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) also made a pass to get by Federico Caricasulo, moving into third position.

During the thirteenth lap, race leader Cluzel crashed out, ending up in the gravel and leaving the door wide open for Mahias and Krummenacher. In the end it was Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher who finished first after making contact coming out of the final corner with Mahias, who finished second. Third place went to the other factory Yamaha rider, Federico Caricasulo.

WorldSSP standings:

1) R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)

2) L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)

3) F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)

4) S. Cortese (Kallio Racing)

5) T. Warokorn (CORE Kawasaki Thailand Racing Team)

6) A. West (EAB antwest Racing)

7) R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)

8) R. Wilairot (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team)

9) N. Tuuli (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)

10) L. Stapleford (Profile Racing)

11) T. Gradinger (NRT)

12) J. Kennedy (Profile Racing)

13) D. Kraisart (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team)

14) L. Cresson (Kallio Racing)

15) A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)

16) A. Kamaruzaman (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

17) H. Soomer (Racedays)

18) M. Di Meglio (GMT94 Yamaha)

19) H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

20) A. Irwin (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)

21) J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini)

22) T. Collins (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

RT) J. Cluzel (NRT)

RT) K. Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini)

RT) L. Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

RT) N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 2 and WorldSSP:

In Race 2, most of the riders substantially confirmed the choices they had made yesterday for Race 1.

On the rear, half of them opted for the standard SC0 (option A) and the other half went with the W0576 SC0 development solution (option B), whereas on the front, the standard SC2 (option D) gained more favour than it had in Race 1 and, along with the V0952 SC1 development tyre (option C), preferences were divided between the riders on the grid.

Making changes on the rear was only Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) who, as the other Ducati riders had already done in Race 1, switched from the development SC0 to go with the standard tyre. For the front, on the other hand, the six riders who made changes (Sykes, Van Der Mark, Torres, Razgatlioglu, Mercado e Jacobsen) either went from the V0952 SC1 development tyre to the standard SC2 or, as was the case for Sykes and Van Der Mark, vice versa.

In the WorldSSP race, the riders made very similar choices. On the rear, they all used the standard SC0 (option A), whereas for the front, 19 out of the 26 riders on the grid opted for the V0533 SC1 development solution (option C). Only 5 chose the W0378 SC1 tyre (option B), whereas the remaining two used the standard SC1 (option A).

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati),in 1'33.627 at the 11^th lap

• Most used front solution: development SC2 V0952 (11 out of 19 riders)

• Most used rear solution: standard SC0 (10 out of 19 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 305,1 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the 5^th lap and by Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in the 3^rd lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 6 front and 6 rear

Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 75, including 40 front and 35 rear

• Air temperature: 33° C

• Asphalt temperature: 49° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP race:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team), in 1'37.620 in the 11^th lap

• Most used front solution: development SC1 V0533 (19 out of 26 riders)

• Most used rear solution: standard SC0 (26 out of 26 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tyres: 270 km/h, achieved by Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing) in the 2^nd lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSSP class: 5 front and 4 rear

Number of tyres available for each WorldSSP rider: 47, including 26 front and 21 rear

• Air temperature: 34° C

• Asphalt temperature: 52° C

The three-time World Champion took pole position in the morning on Saturday and, starting from the first position on the grid, basically rode the entire race in the lead, battling only a bit with teammate Tom Sykes during the first two laps.

Spaniard Xavi Forés put in a noteworthy performance, riding his Ducati managed by private team Barni Racing to an outstanding second place finish ahead of the factory Ducati ridden by Welshman Chaz Davies who, in the penultimate lap, managed to overtake the Honda ridden by Leon Camier who also rode a brilliant race.

As for the tyres used in Race 1, on the rear, both of the soft solutions (the standard and development solution) brought by Pirelli were very popular with the riders on the grid, whereas on the front, the V0952 SC1 development solution was the most used by the riders, as had already happened in the first round of the season in Australia.

At the start of Race 1, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) got off the line well, followed closely by teammate Tom Sykes, exchanging the lead throughout the first lap. Behind them was Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) who managed to overtake Sykes shortly thereafter, moving into position between the two factory Kawasaki machines. Then came the Ducatis ridden by Xavi Forés, Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies.

During the seventh lap, Tom Sykes was also overtaken by Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team), sliding down to fourth place. In the meantime, Jonathan Rea increased the gap to one second ahead of his closest follower, Leon Camier. At the mid-race point, factory Ducati rider Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) managed to overtake the English Kawasaki rider, moving into fourth place. In the meantime, the battle for sixth was raging between Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).

On the thirteenth lap, Xavi Forés successfully overtook Leon Camier, thereby moving into position behind the race leader.

Toward the end of the race, Chaz Davies also had a go at the Honda rider in an attempt to secure the bottom step of the podium, something he later managed to do on the penultimate lap. Jonathan Rea finished first with an advantage of 1.5 seconds ahead of the private Ducati ridden by Xavi Forés and 2.1 seconds ahead of the factory Ducati ridden by Chaz Davies.

WorldSBK Race 1 standings:

1) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)
3) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
4) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
5) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
6) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
7) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
8) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
9) E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia)
10) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
11) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
12) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
13) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
14) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
15) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
16) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
17) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
18) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
RT) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 1:

In Race 1, the riders used all of the solutions available to them.

On the rear, preferences were divided basically evenly between the standard SC0 (option A) and the W0576 SC0 development solution (option B) which demonstrates the excellent performance both solutions offer.

As for the front, the most used solution was once again the V0952 SC1 development solution (option C), chosen by thirteen out of the nineteen riders on the grid. The standard SC2 tyre (option D) was used by the factory Kawasaki and Yamaha riders, as well as by Eugene Laverty on Aprilia. Xavi Forés on Ducati was the only rider who opted for the front standard SC1.

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 1:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Jonathan Rea(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK),in 1'33.714 at the 11^th lap

• Most used front solution: devolpment SC1 V0952 (13 out of 19 riders)

• Most used rear solution: devolpment SC0 V0576 (10 out of 19 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 303.4 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the 4^th lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 6 front and 4 rear

Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 67, including 39 front and 28 rear

• Air temperature: 32° C

• Asphalt temperature: 51° C

The challenge: Taking place on the island of Sao Miguel in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores Rally is one of the most spectacular rallies in the world. The sandy stages are often narrow, leaving little margin for error, and the weather can change rapidly between sunshine, rain and fog.

The Pirelli drivers: Alexey Lukyanuk returns to the championship with Pirelli tyres on his Ford Fiesta R5 and begins among the favourites after leading the event last year. Pirelli equips a number of drivers in the ERC Junior Under 28 class, including the reigning Under 27 champion Chris Ingram and two-time German champion Fabian Kreim in Skoda Fabia R5s, with Pirelli-supported Italian Tamara Molinaro also stepping up in a Ford Fiesta R5 after winning the Ladies Trophy in 2017.

As well as exclusively supplying the ERC Junior U27 class, where 11 drivers are entered in the Azores in R2 cars, Pirelli is also well-represented in ERC2 including with last year’s champion Tibor Erdi Jr and runner-up Zelindo Melegari. A number of Portuguese drivers will rely on Pirelli, including Carlos Vieira, Jose Pedro Fontes and Bernardo Sousa.

The products: Pirelli will supply its Scorpion K and Scorpion KM gravel tyres. The soft compound KM6 in particular is likely to be popular on the sandy stages. The K6 will also be available for more compact stages, with the supersoft K8 on hand in case of rain. ERC Junior U27 drivers will be able to choose from the K6 and the harder K4.

The rules: Drivers in ERC1 (for R5 cars) and ERC2 (for Group N) can use up to 18 tyres during the event, while ERC Junior U27 drivers get a maximum of 12 tyres.

Key stage: SS6/SS9 Sete Cidades (23.87km). The longest and most famous stage of the Azores Rally, parts of this stage take place along the rim of a volcanic crater lake. There is no time for the drivers to admire the view, with the road almost as narrow as the width of a car in places.

Pirelli rally activity manager Terenzio Testoni: “The Azores is one of the most spectacular gravel rallies in the world, where having the right tyre makes a massive difference. One of the biggest challenges is the very variable weather conditions, which means that crews and tyres have to cope with both bright sunshine and heavy rain: often on more than one occasion in the same day. We’re delighted to see several young drivers make the step up to the top class of the European championship with Pirelli, in keeping with our philosophy, and we look forward to watching their achievements.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For further information about the Azores Rally, visit www.fiaerc.com

The challenge: Mexico is the first gravel rally of the year, run in hot weather at high altitude, in a compact route around the host city of Leon. It’s demanding both for drivers and cars, with road position also set to be an important factor.

The Pirelli drivers: Mexico isn’t a round of the Junior World Rally Championship, exclusively supplied by Pirelli, so instead a selection of WRC2 drivers – the feeder category to the main WRC – will benefit from the latest Pirelli Scorpion K gravel tyres. These include local heroes Benito Guerra, in a Skoda Fabia R5, and Ricardo Trivino, driving a Citroen DS3 R5.

The product: Pirelli will bring the Scorpion K to Mexico, which is designed to efficiently evacuate loose gravel and improve performance without compromising on durability. It’s available in two compounds for the hot and demanding Mexican roads: K4, which is a hard compound, and K6, which is a soft compound. The hard is the main choice, with the soft as a back-up.

The rules: The drivers are allowed to use up to 22 tyres during the event, with a separate allocation for the shakedown.

The event: Rally Mexico gets underway on Thursday 8 March with the first of 22 special stages, totalling 344.49 kilometres. The finish is at 14:30 on Sunday 11 March, back in Leon. The route is not dissimilar to that of previous years, with the longest stage being the 31.44-kilometre El Chocolate, run twice on Friday.

Pirelli quote: Terenzio Testoni, rally activity manager: “On the third event of our return to the World Rally Championship, we face very different conditions compared to those encountered in Monte-Carlo or Sweden. We’re confident that the latest evolutions brought to the Scorpion K tyre – which now combines strength with more performance than ever – will enable our drivers to show the very best of their abilities on these demanding gravel roads.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For more information on Rally Mexico, please visit: www.rallymexico.com

Behind the Italian in the race today were defending World Champion Jonathan Rea and, with a textbook performance, privateer Ducati rider Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team).

In the Supersport World Championship, on the other hand, French Yamaha rider Lucas Mahias confirmed his status as the man to beat while the manufacturer from Iwata monopolised the podium thanks to the performance of the other factory rider, Federico Caricasulo and privateer Randy Krummenacher.

In both classes, thanks in part to the top shelf performance of the Pirelli tyres, new track lap records were set by Marco Melandri and Sandro Cortese. 

Race 2 of WorldSBK and the WorldSSP race were held today with a pit stop. On this topic Pirelli Moto Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, made this statement: “Pirelli has taken note of the decision to conduct two races with the introduction of the flag to flag rule and relative compulsory pit stop, taken by Dorna and FIM after hearing the opinions of the riders and team representatives. I would like to point out how, in reality, there was no unanimous consensus in the meetings with participants from all the classes, but some riders were in favour of riding full race distance or simply reducing the number of laps. However, in these situations it is fair that the majority should prevail, therefore this decision was taken. It is certainly disappointing for those riders who worked well setting up their bikes in the days ahead of the race weekend, succeeding in managing tyre wear well. The topic of tyre pressure remains a crucial point for us, because it is clear that if a tyre is not inflated properly, it cannot work well and this, lap after lap, can trigger problems, especially on a particularly critical and sensitive track like Phillip Island. For this reason, Dorna and FIM, in agreement with Pirelli and starting from this round, have implemented a pressure control procedure a few minutes prior to the start, selecting a few riders at random. The first data collected gives pause for reflection: out of nine riders checked in the three races of the weekend, four were below the minimum 1.60 bar pressure recommended by Pirelli. The Championship organiser announced that from the Aragón round, riders who do not observe the minimum tyre pressure will be sanctioned.”

In Race 2 of WorldSBK, the privateer Ducati ridden by Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team) started from pole position, but that was not enough to hold off Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), who started from the fifth spot on the grid, and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who managed to overtake him already on the first lap. 

During the second lap, Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)also got into the mix, moving into second position behind Laverty as Forés slid back to fifth. Unfortunately, on the third lap Laverty slid into the gravel, leaving the race lead to Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) ahead of Xavi Forés and Jonathan Rea with Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) fourth and Race 1 winner Marco Melandri fifth. In the meantime, Rea overtook the two Ducati riders for the lead, but on the final straight Davies and Forés managed to take back the positions they had lost.

The lead group was very compact with six riders all within one second of one another. At the head of the group, Chaz Davies and Xavi Forés alternated ahead of Jonathan Rea, Marco Melandri and Michael Van Der Mark.

During the tenth lap, the first to enter pit lane were Forés, Rea and Van Der Mark, followed by the other riders a lap later.

On the thirteenth lap, Chaz Davies went down and was forced to abandon the race and in the meantime, Xavi Forés continued to lead after the pit stop, shadowed closely by Jonathan Rea, Marco Melandri and Tom Sykes.

During the fifteenth lap, Marco Melandri set the new track record with a time of 1’30.848, improving on the one set in 2014 by teammate Chaz Davies by a tenth of a second.

On the twentieth lap, Jonathan Rea took the race lead, overtaking Xavi Forés who was also overtaken by Marco Melandri shortly thereafter.

The finale was a nail-biter: Marco Melandri's Ducati was faster than Jonathan Rea's Kawasaki on the straight and the Italian exploited the advantage, managing to cross under the chequered flag first, beating out the Northern Irishman by just 21 thousandths of a second. It was an outstanding third place for Xavi Forés, the first of the private team riders.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings:

1) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)

3) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)

4) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)

5) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)

6) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)

7) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)

8) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)

9) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)

10) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

11) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

12) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)

13) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)

14) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)

15) E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia)

RT) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

RT) O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing)

RT) D. Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) (wild card)

At 1:30 PM local time, the opening race of the FIM Supersport World Championship season was held with Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) in pole position. The French Yamaha rider started well straight away, maintaining the lead in the group ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and teammate Federico Caricasulo, followed by Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) and Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team). During the first lap, the race lost Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) due to an accident, whereas on the third lap Anthony West retired. In the meantime, Caricasulo overtook Sofuoglu to move into second place.

During the fourth lap the red flag came out due to an accident involving Soomer and Canducci. There were nine laps left to race at the restart without any pit stop procedure and with the grid order based on the Superpole^® results.

Lucas Mahias started well once again ahead of his teammate, Federico Caricasulo, and Randy Krummenacher in third, but managing to snatch second from the Italian a bit later, only to relinquish it again. However, during the seventh lap, the Swiss rider overtook the Italian and made it stick this time to take back second place. Finishing fourth was Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) and Luke Stapleford was fifth.

In the end, the podium was dominated by Yamaha with defending World Champion Lucas Mahias finishing first ahead of Randy Krummenacher and Sandro Cortese who, after setting the new track lap record with a time of 1’33.072, managed to snatch the podium from Federico Caricasulo at the finish line.

WorldSSP standings:

1) L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)

2) R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)

3) S. Cortese (Kallio Racing)

4) F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)

5) L. Stapleford (Profile Racing)

6) R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)

7) J. Cluzel (NRT)

8) K. Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini)

9) A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)

10) T. Gradinger (NRT)

11) N. Tuuli (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)

12) L. Cresson (Kallio Racing)

13) K. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

14) H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)

15) T. Toparis (Cube Racing)

16) J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini)

17) M. Di Meglio (GMT94 Yamaha)

18) N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)

RT) L. Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

RT) M. Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)

RT) H. Soomer (Racedays)

RT) A. West (EAB antwest Racing)

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 2 and WorldSSP:

In Race 2 of WorldSBK, few changes were made compared to Race 1. On the front, practically all the riders opted for the V0952 SC1 development solution (option C) which had already been the most popular in Race 1.

As for the rear, the solution chosen by most was the V0965 SC1 development tyre (option A), already used as a race tyre in 2017.

Between Race 1 and Race 2, the only riders who made changes were Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team),who switch from the V0952 SC1 development solution (option C) to the standard SC1 (option B) on the front, and Patrick Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) who opted for the W1049 development tyre (option B) on the rear.

In the WorldSSP race, all the riders used the U1149 SC1 development solution (option A) on the rear, whereas on the front, 16 of the 22 riders on the grid opted for the standard SC1 (option A).

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati),in 1'30.848 at the 15^th lap

• Most used front solution: development SC2 V0952 (16 out of 18 riders)

• Most used rear solution: devolpment SC1 V0965 (10 out of 18 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 317.6 km/h, achieved by Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the 2^nd lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 6 front and 6 rear

• Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 75, including 40 front and 35 rear

• Air temperature: 20° C

• Asphalt temperature: 33° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP race:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing), in 1'33.072 in the 5^th lap

• Most used front solution: standard SC1 (16 out of 22 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 U1149 (22 out of 22 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tyres: 277.6 km/h, achieved by Jules Cluzel (NRT) in the 5^th lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSSP class: 6 front and 5 rear

Number of tyres available for each WorldSSP rider: 60, including 33 front and 27 rear

• Air temperature: 18° C

• Asphalt temperature: 34° C