The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to action in France at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and, with it, Pirelli have revealed their tyre solutions for Round 9 of the 2023 season. The Pirelli French Round marks the start of the final third of the season with plenty up for grabs, and tyre choice could be crucial in securing the best possible results. Pirelli have brought some development solutions for both the front and rear in the dry, as well as a new wet-weather tyre.
REAR TYRES: SCX choices, development SCQ available
Pirelli never stop vying for improvements in WorldSBK and this is shown by the fact they have two development tyres available. The supersoft SCX-A is back in B0800 specification as the development tyre, while the standard SCX is also available. In terms of Superpole tyres, there’s only one SCQ available and this comes in development form with the SCQ-A and, compared to the standard SCQ, is designed to have more consistency over the 10-lap Tissot Superpole Race.
NEW SC0 RETURNS AFTER MISSING MOST: joined by standard SC1
One of Pirelli’s innovations for 2023, while looking ahead to next year, was the SC0 development soft; the first soft compound front tyre they’d brought to WorldSBK. After not being present at the Czech Round, the SC0 is back in action at Magny-Cours, while the other dry tyre option is the standard SC1 medium. In terms of wet-weather front tyres, both come in the standard solution with the intermediate and full wet available.
A NEW REAR WET TYRE: a new development solution
With Magny-Cours often bringing wet weather, Pirelli have opted to bring a new development solution at the rear. The C0430 spec is designed for better performance and stability in the event of the track drying out, something that was seen in Most last time out. Also known as the SCR-X, it will be joined by two standard wet-weather tyres in the shape of the SCR1 and intermediate tyres for riders to use in the event of different levels of rain.
NEW OPTION IN WorldSSP: development soft available
In WorldSSP, riders will have three front tyres to choose from. The standard SC1 soft is available as is the SC1-B, the standard medium tyre used in WorldSBK which Pirelli have been trialling in WorldSSP this season as a test. However, a development SC1-A soft compound has been brought in 120/70 size – the same as the standard SC1 – as the Italian manufacturer looks to improve duration and consistency using a different structure and compound. For the rear, only standard tyres are available in SCX and SC0 form, and this also applies to wet-weather tyres at the front and rear. Both the intermediate and the SCR1 full wet are in standard solutions.
PIRELLI’S VIEW: looking to 2024
Explaining the tyre choice, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “The last four rounds of the season will be very important for Pirelli because they will allow us to sum up the work of comparing standard and development solutions. In fact, at the end of the year we will have to decide which of the tyres currently in the range will also be confirmed for 2024 and which instead will be replaced by development solutions which this year have proven to be better than those now in the range. This is why we will see the standard SCX and the B0800 development SCX together again, as well as the new SCQ C0004. We will then have to evaluate whether or not to make the new soft front a standard product. Then we have a new rear tyre for wet that the riders will be able to test in case of rain, while for the Supersport class there is a development SC1 on the front. We will see what the responses of the tracks and the preferences of the riders will be, and, like every year, we will evaluate what innovations to introduce in the future.”
Watch every moment from the Pirelli French Round using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
Source: WorldSBK.com