News

Two new solutions, one front and one rear, in the premier class and all soft compound rear tyres are the options of the Italian tyre company to face the humidity and the high surface temperatures in Malaysia this weekend.

On the occasion of the Sepang round, Superbike riders will try two new solutions, one front and one rear. The front is the U0104, a SC2 development never used before in the race but proven and rated highly by the riders in the official tests of Portimão and at the rear, the T1257, a development SC0 that with very high temperatures should ensure good grip.

However, in order to ensure good braking and to avoid the ‘squashing’ phenomena at the end of the straights, it would be better to use a stiffer front tyre, able to maintain its compactness also at high levels of longitudinal load. Given the high temperatures and as the movements while crushing are most emphasized by these conditions, the choice should be for a SC2 solution. Accordingly that’s why in addition to the standard selection, Pirelli also brings a new development solution in a medium-hard compound.

At the rear the watchword is grip and for this reason Pirelli provides riders with all soft solutions. In fact, the mix of the asphalt being very worn and of high temperatures requires the use of soft tyres that can penetrate properly into the road surface and thus ensure maximum footprint. In some points of the track, the motorcycle must be as stable as possible and planted on the ground, to prevent the breakdown of the rear in acceleration. In the central zone of the profile on both straights you will reach very high temperatures of the compound that can give rise to blisters, especially if it rains and you have to use wet tyres, which are very soft and deformable.

The Pirelli solutions for the Superbike and Supersport classes:
Each Superbike rider can choose from 35 front and 33 rear tyres for a total of 5 front and 6 rear solutions including, as always, wet and intermediate tyres and the rear qualifier tyre that can only be used during the Superpole on Saturday.

At the front three solutions available to riders: the development SC1 S1699, which debuted successfully at Aragón in 2014 and this year has been brought to all rounds because it offers greater support in the approach to bends in favour of a better riding precision, and the standard SC2, which is optimal for high external temperatures because it guarantees the solidity and support to the tread band. The third and last option will be the new U0104, a development SC2 never used before in the race but tested and highly appreciated by the riders in the official Portimão test session. Compared to the standard SC2 it should ensure a greater grip level more similar to that of a SC1.

For the rear there are three solutions all in the soft SC0 compound. There is the standard SC0, offering maximum tread contact on smooth asphalt and maximum traction development at high temperatures as well as higher resistance to thermal performance decay, and the development SC0 T0611, which debuted in Imola and was used also in Portimão and Misano, as well as being taken to Laguna Seca. These two solutions are supported by the new T1257, a development SC0 at its first debut that, with very high temperatures and then low grip asphalt, should still be able to ensure good grip.