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The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to Indonesia and the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit and, after re-surfacing work at the circuit, tyres could play a crucial role during the Pirelli Indonesian Round. Ahead of the round, tyre supplier Pirelli have revealed their selected tyres for Indonesia, with two front tyres and three rear tyres available to the WorldSBK riders, including a brand-new rear development solution for the rear tyre.

For the front tyres, riders will be able to choose between the standard SC1 solution and the development SC1 A0843 solution. This development solution made its debut during the Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen and has also been used at the Autodrom Most and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It features the same structure as a different development solution from Pirelli, the A0674 which is unavailable in Indonesia, but has a different tread compound to offer better mechanical resistance and greater wear protection.

There will be three rear tyres to choose from with the super soft compound SCX tyre, the soft compound SC0 tyre and the new development solution SC1 A1126 which will make its WorldSBK debut in Indonesia. Similar to the front A0843 solution, it has properties to provide a more robust structure designed for the new asphalt and high temperatures when compared to the standard SC1 solution.

The SCQ tyre will not be available at Mandalika so riders will not be able to pick the tyre designed for Tissot Superpole during Saturday’s crucial Superpole session. On other occasions during 2022, such as at Most and Portimao, the SCX tyre effectively became the SCQ tyre with its use restricted to the Superpole session and Superpole Race. Ahead of the round, Pirelli did not announce any restrictions on riders using the SCX tyre.

In case of wet weather, riders will be able to choose from one intermediate and one rain tyre front tyre with the SCW and the SCR1 respectively, the standard solutions. At the rear, there will be one intermediate tyre, the SCW, while there will be two rain tyres to choose from. There is one that has a compound for more grip even in lower temperatures, while the second is for maximum traction in wet conditions with medium to high temperatures.

Discussing the tyre solutions, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “The Indonesia-Australia back-to-back at the end of the season holds unknowns and important challenges for us. Starting with Mandalika, whose complete resurfacing was only completed a few days ago, so no one knows the characteristics of the new asphalt. We will certainly find a non-rubberised circuit; tyre wear could be more pronounced in free practice on Friday. We expect the situation to improve over the weekend with the track’s evolution, but still we don't know how aggressive the new surface can be.

“The tyres for this round were shipped at the end of July and, based on what we saw last year and being aware of the possibility that the circuit could be resurfaced, we decided to bring an allocation made up of both softer and harder and wear-resistant solutions, which is why at the rear in addition to SCX and SC0 we also have the medium SC1. For the front, the standard SC1 is joined by the development A0843 which this year proved to be the most resistant option and in the races in which it was present it was also the most used front. Considering the situation, it is difficult to say now whether the SCX, which is the softest rear available, can be used in Superpole and in the Superpole Race, but if so, the riders can count on a more than adequate quantity of tyres.”

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