Pirelli has announced that the SCQ tyre it debuted last year in WorldSBK is now officially a part of the consumer Diablo Superbike tyre range.
Pirelli has become synonymous with the Superbike World Championship and is approaching 20 years of being the series’ exclusive tyre supplier.
In that time, the Italian manufacturer has pushed its tyre technology on significantly, and is now into the fourth generation of the Diablo Supercorsa range which is derived from its racing products.
In 2022, Pirelli moved away from ‘qualifying tyres’ and introduced the new SCQ compound on the rear tyre for WorldSBK. It was designed for high grip over a short distance, making it the de facto qualifying tyre of WorldSBK, but was also able to be run - occasionally - in the 10-lap Superpole Race on Sunday mornings.
Pirelli also mentions the SCQ compound was able to be used in short-distance “local championship” races, and that it has received requests from riders, customers and promoters of national championships to make the SCQ available as part of the Diablo Superbike range, meaning it is readily available for consumer purchase.
Pirelli also says that “in the Superbike World Championship, Pirelli will continue to develop this product so that it guarantees greater mileage and can cover the 10 laps of the Superpole Race on all circuits.”
When Pirelli introduced the SCX tyre for the first time in 2020, it was an interesting option because it was initially designed to be used only in the aforementioned 10-lap races, but eventually it was able to become competitive over full race distance in the long WorldSBK races in the hands of some riders. Pirelli’s ambitions to make the SCQ usable in the 10-lap races at all circuits will inevitably lead to a similar situation where some riders have an advantage in the sprint race because they are able to make the SCQ tyre last for the 10 laps. It will be important for the riders to not get caught in delay with finding 10-lap endurance out of the SCQ, although inevitably some will get there before others. This could be a crucial theme in WorldSBK 2023.
Additionally, Pirelli has announced that it will be developing a new SC0 compound for the front tyre this year in order to balance the additional grip it has brought at the rear in recent years. The goal, Pirelli says, is to have this SC0 front tyre as a standard option for 2024.
For Supersport-class riders in the World Championship, Pirelli will bring a new 125/70 tyre that is already available to Superbike-class riders and in addition to the existing 120/70 tyre that will remain available for Supersport riders. “This will also offer WorldSSP riders a better front-to-rear axle balance,” Pirelli says.
Finally, in WorldSSP300, the SC1 compound rear tyre will be removed from the range with riders being limited to the SC2 compound from the first round. Then, from round five in Misano, Pirelli will bring a new SC2 compound for the rear and a new SC1 compound for the front which “uses a percentage of renewable materials to replace those of fossil origin,” Pirelli says.
Tyre particulate emissions are among the most harmful, and presumably the idea from Pirelli is that we will see these part-sustainable tyres in its consumer ranges in the future.
Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, said: “This year we will be busy in several disciplines. Development activities will focus on the Superbike World Championship where, for the first time ever, we will introduce a front solution in the soft SC0 compound in the premier class.
"At the same time, we will continue to work on the extra soft SCQ rear, which has officially become part of the DIABLO Superbike range and is therefore now on sale on the market. As for the other classes, in WorldSSP we will add to the 120/70 front size, used up to now, the new larger 125/70 front size that is already available in the Superbike class, while in WorldSSP300 we will introduce, starting from the Misano round, a new benchmark set that uses renewable materials in the tyres.
“The goal always remains the same: to improve our tyres year after year, to then pour this know-how into road products.”
