Pirelli To Replace Michelin As Official Tire Supplier In MotoGP From 2027

By David Emmett |

Pirell is to take over as single tire supplier for the MotoGP and MotoE class in the MotoGP paddock from 2027. The switch of tire suppliers will take place when MotoGP changes to the new technical regulations featuring 850cc engines, no ride-height and holeshot devices, and much greater restrictions on aerodynamics.

There had been rumors that a deal had been signed after the 2025 MotoGP season opener at Buriram, but veteran Spanish journalist Manuel Pecino was the first person to break the news on his outstanding YouTube podcast PecinoGP. According to Pecino, Pirelli will take over as single tire supplier for not just the MotoGP class, but also for MotoE. That will make Pirelli the supplier for the entire MotoGP paddock, the entire WorldSBK paddock, as well as all of the feeder classes such as the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the classes collectively known as the Road To MotoGP (e.g. Asia Talent Cup, etc).

The deal comes as something as a surprise. Last year, when journalists visited Michelin, head of Two Wheeled Motorsports Piero Taramasso reassured us that Michelin wanted to stay in MotoGP. And again, when I spoke to Taramasso at the Sepang test, he reiterated that he had expected an extension of Michelin's contract with Dorna to already be signed, but there were still some negotiations going on over details.

Some of those details may be related to the amount of advertising space around the track Pirelli was being given, according to Manuel Pecino. Michelin were paying a hefty amount to be sole tire supplier to MotoGP, and to then have lots of Pirelli advertising hoardings visible on TV must have been galling. But the other reason doing the rounds was that Michelin was simply outbid by Pirelli for the contract.

Michelin has been single tire supplier since 2016, taking over from Bridgestone after the Japanese tire manufacturer announced they would be pulling out as single tire supplier at the end of 2015. Bridgestone, in turn, became official tire supplier at the start of the 2009 season, after so many riders and teams defected from Michelin - led by Valentino Rossi at the start of 2008, and Dani Pedrosa midway through the season - that it was no longer viable for the French tire maker to remain in MotoGP. 

What effect this will have is very much open to question. Whether this means Michelin will continue to develop the new front tire they have been testing to be introduced in 2026 is unknown. They may decide to abandon it as a lost cause, or they may decide that they have already invested so much in the new front that it would be better to bring it anyway. The new front has met with extremely favorable reviews from the riders who have tested it.

Having the switch coincide with the rule change for 2027 also gives Pirelli a chance to test and develop tires, probably starting at the end of this year. But how the change will affect the bikes is unknown. The Pirelli front tire is generally a less rigid construction than the Michelin, but provides very good feedback. But whether Pirelli will build a much stronger front tire for MotoGP is also unknown.

Though Michelin have received a lot of criticism for their tires, that is more the result of being the sole tire supplier than any defect of their product. I remember very clearly when Bridgestone announced they would be pullling out of MotoGP at Jerez in 2014. Up until that moment, every debrief with riders about tires saw them complaining about Bridgestone. From the moment the switch was announced, they heaped praise on the tires, saying Bridgestone had done a fantastic job. 

I full expect the same thing to happen with the Michelin announcement. It is in the nature of a top rider to complain, not necessarily as an excuse, but more as a way of highlighting the points that they feel are holding them back. As the interface between the bike and the asphalt - indeed, between the rider's brain and the asphalt - the tires are always their first focus.

There will be a special episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast to discuss the change tomorrow, with special guest Eugene Laverty. Laverty, currently working with Yamaha in WorldSBK, has experience with the Pirellis in World Superbikes, but also with the Michelins and Bridgestones in MotoGP.

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Comments

Road 3, Power GP2, I am a happy customer and will probably run them for life. MotoGP riders might not like their front tires but I love them. They are so pliable you can probably tie them in a knot but they still provide great support.

I absolutely agree, Michelins are light, soft and so confidence inspiring. However, working in a dealer that sells a lot of tyres, there’s two things that offset that; all tyres have gone up since Covid but none more than Bibendum and second, we get far more punctures than other brands, the pliability comes at a price (quite a high one, pun intended..)

Piero Taramasso will be counting down the days. Less than 2 more years of riders and team principals bitchin about a bad tire.

Hope he goes in both feet first when debunking unfounded claims from now on. A bit like we saw at the Sepang test, good start, but now spice things up Piero, you know you want to.

I personally can't wait to see Pirelli in MotoGP. Their race slicks are excellent tyres and if they allow a proper SCQ (or a MotoGP version of it) then we could see some insane lap times even from the 850 platform.

for a change in supplier but won't the EU have something to say about monopolies? Anyway, Aero began appearing back in 2016 and has developed at a rapid pace. Although Michelin are not responsible for the massive increase in front tyre loads generated by these advances, the fact that it has taken Michelin sooooo long to design, test, approve and still not have released a suitable front tyre that can cope has been ludicrous. It's also been to the detriment of racing that the tyre pressure rule has become necessary to enforce because of this. Won't miss em.

Its not a monopoly

 

A monopoly is a market structure that consists of a single seller or producer and no close substitutes. 

This is a business (Dorna) selecting a single supplier (pirelli) for their business (world championship racing).  Just like has been done for many years in both motorcycles and car racing.

Businesses select suppliers all the time.  Its not a monopoly.  
 

on the EUs viewpoint. In the context of the sale of Dorna to Liberty and the EUs investigation it doesn't seem like prudent timing to announce this! It could be argued that the supply of racing tyres is a business, and as tyre companies may wish to use racing as a test environment to develop their tyre technology, there is the risk of exclusion and prevention of fair competition. Thus, with this single supply agreement over all the major racing series in the world (F1, MGP, WSB, Moto2, Moto3 and feeder classes) then it might be argued that this is why monopolisation of all the main racing series by one company (Liberty) is not good for competition.

Relatively. Michelin will be my first choice for any road tyre. Especially cars. Everyone I have asked has always said Michelin are best for performance and mileage and I agree ( usually - I currently run Bridgestone on the cars for winter). For track use I will pick something grippy but able to last my moderate demand for grip and power transfer for about 4 or 5 days. 300bhp I don’t have and need to work on Mondays.

I have as much frustration as anyone over MGP tyres but also respect Michelin’s conundrum over access to race level testing.

Pirelli will have a platform closer to WSBK than current MGP and the loads will be easier to manage. They will still have to address carbon brakes and other demands above the super bikes.

Time will tell……

Yep Dorna really needs to address this. They need some mandatory tire testing days like they had in the past. IMO sprints should have been used to monetize test time rather than to add stress and dilute regular race weekends. But Im not the boss