Moto2 and Moto3 are the lower classes in the MotoGP World Championship. Dunlop, whose contract is set to end this year, has been supplying the two with tires for more than 10 years.
In a recent development, CheapTiresAsap has discovered that Pirelli is set to take over as the new supplier in 2024. The tire manufacturer has been supplying tires for motorcycle racing and is currently the sole supplier for World Superbike Championship.
Pirelli is also the sole supplier for Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship. It also supplies the MXGP and MX2 classes in the Motocross World Championship. This makes it the sole supplier in more than 30 small disciplines in over 40 countries.
Michelin has a contract to supply MotoGP with tires until 2026. This means that Pirelli will stick to the Moto2 and Moto3 categories for now. The technical regulations in the former are expected to shake up in 2027. There was a tire war back in 2009, which MotoGP has no interest in bringing back.
Pirelli will also supply the Junior GP World Championship with tires alongside the new Latin America Talent Cup and the Asian Talent Cup. Younger riders will get an opportunity to use the same rubber in the second and third tiers of the MotoGP World Championship.
Moto3 was started in 2012 and having Pirelli on board is one of the most significant technical changes since inception. Moto2 saw Triump take over the supply of engines in 2019, making this its second-largest change. Things are, however, shaking up on the Formula 1 side as the tender process for the 2025 season has began.
This could mark the end of Pirelli’s monopoly in F1. One of its major competitors isBridgestone.