Pirelli unveil allocations for season-opening Australian Round, SC0 tyre the softest available
With Phillip Island placing unique demands on every aspect of racing, Pirelli have opted for tyres from the harder end of their range
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the first round of the 2025 season and, head of track action starting on Friday, Pirelli have revealed their solutions for the Australian Round. The softest available tyre is the SC0 for the rear, with the other tyres coming from the SC1 range at the back of the bikes. The available front tyres are the SC1 and SC2, with teams and riders being able to test these tyres at the Official Test on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
RACE FORMAT: flag-to-flag thrillers in store
Both Race 1 and Race 2 in WorldSBK will be a flag-to-flag race, with a limit on rear tyre usage. Rear tyres must not be used for more than 11 laps in WorldSBK; the same format used in 2024. In WorldSSP, rear tyres cannot be used for more than 10 laps in the 18-lap races.
DEVELOPMENT REAR TYRES: two SC1 solutions, SC0 tyre limited to Superpole
The rear tyres for the WorldSBK field feature two development solutions from the SC1 range, while the softest tyre – the SC0 – is limited in its use to the Tissot Superpole session. For the SC1 tyres, the D0922 made its debut during testing, and is designed with a different structure and compound to offer more consistent performance and greater stability and robustness. The second SC1 option is the D0286, which debuted at Most, and uses the same compound as the standard medium SC1 but with a different structure to help improve performance and consistency. Of course, rain can never be ruled out at Phillip Island, with the standard SCR1 rain tyre and standard intermediate available at the rear.
FRONT TYRE CHOICES: standard solutions all round
At the front, riders can choose from two tyres: either the standard SC1 medium or the standard SC2 hard tyre. The SC1 was commonly used throughout the 2024 season due to its ability to adapt to different circuits, while the SC2 hard tyre, when compared to the SC1, offers more mechanical resistance and greater protection from wear; something that could come into play at a circuit which places high demands on tyres. If it rains, the standard SCR1 rain and standard intermediate tyres are available.
WORLD SUPERSPORT OPTIONS: one rear option, two front choices
In WorldSSP, there is only one rear slick tyre for the teams and riders to use. The development SC1 medium, the A1128, is the only option. It made its debut at Phillip Island in 2022, used by all riders, and again in both 2023 and 2024. It features the same compound as the standard SC1 but is designed for higher temperatures. At the front, the options are two standard solutions: the soft SC1 and the medium SC2.
PIRELLI SAYS: “We have collected very useful data… Based on the evidence that has emerged so far, we expect to see some good races over the weekend”
Reflecting on the feedback from the test, and previewing the round, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “We are satisfied with the work done by the teams and riders during the two days of testing. Although aware that the races would be held in a flag-to-flag regime with a mandatory pit stop to change the tyres, several riders did some long runs using the same tyres well beyond the laps scheduled for the races, although in some cases these laps were carried out not consecutively but returning to the pits between one stint and another. All the solutions we allocated were tested and the performance of all the tyres was very good with no obvious signs of fatigue or wear, which is why they are all confirmed for the races. It should be noted that the track temperatures of these two days have been quite low, and we know how much the heat at this circuit can negatively affect performance. However, we have collected very useful data, especially on the new D0922 rear spec, which had never been used before by the riders and which seems to have been much appreciated for the greater stability offered. All information that we will treasure for the future. Based on the evidence that has emerged so far, we expect to see some good races over the weekend.”
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