Major Michelin test in Cremona: Which World Superbike teams are taking part

Pirelli has held a monopoly on tyres in the Superbike World Championship since 2004, but this era will come to an end after just three more race weekends. From the first winter test in Jerez on 22 and 23 October, Michelin will supply tyres to all classes of the production-based world championship. The Superbike riders have already had several opportunities to get a feel for the Michelin tyres.

With the end of the season approaching, preparations by the specialists from Clermont-Ferrand are in full swing. And there will be another test, this time on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at the Cremona Circuit. The Superbike stars will most likely be provided with the final version of the Michelin tyres.

The factory teams – ROKiT BMW, Bimota, Aruba.it Ducati, Honda and Yamaha – will be present; only Kawasaki is missing. Also taking part are the Ducati customer teams Barni Racing, Motocorsa, Go Eleven, Marc VDS and Advocates Racing, as well as the Yamaha satellite team Giansanti Racing. From the Supersport World Championship, Albert Arenas (Yamaha), Matteo Ferrari and Philipp Öttl (both Ducati) are taking part in the test.

However, the teams will also use the two-day test to prepare for the race weekend in Italy in two weeks’ time.

Unlike Pirelli, Michelin will not be offering any special tyres for qualifying. Over the years, the Italian manufacturer had also moved away from this strategy to some extent, offering the SCQ tyre as an option that could be used for the Superpole and the 10-lap Superpole Race. Michelin will offer race tyres in various compounds.

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Michelin has been the sole supplier in MotoGP since 2016, a role that Pirelli will take over again from 2027. However, the French manufacturer will only incorporate some of the expertise gained in the prototype series into its Superbike tyres.