Pirelli Tyres Dominating 2017 ASBK
Pirelli tyres have been the race rubber of choice for the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli (ASBK). In anticipation of Round 5 at Morgan Park Raceway (25-27 August), we caught up with Pirelli’s Product Manager, Garry Crilly to chat about their preparation for Morgan Park, differences between Diablo Supercorsa Tyres and relationships with the teams.
Founded in 1872, Pirelli is among the largest global tyre makers, and focuses its business on the high end, premium product segment, where it is a world leader. Present in over 160 countries, Pirelli has 22 manufacturing sites and employs approximately 38,000 people around the world. Successfully competing in motorsports since 1907, Pirelli now finds itself as the front-runner in the ASBK Championship.
Crilly shared; “Two weeks ago we had an Official ASBK Test at Morgan Park Raceway. All the major teams took part and it was essential to determine which tyres would work best at the track. We’ve narrowed the range down, but there is still a wide mix to choose from. We will take approximately 650 tyres to the race and we’ve organised the trucks, six personnel and fitting equipment. The truck leaves Thursday morning and will arrive in the afternoon. It all has to be ready for Friday morning, when the practice sessions begin.
“The major difference between the compounds is how much available grip they have and their durability,” said Crilly. “The lower the number of on the compound, the more available grip they have. It’s a trade a trade off between having sensational grip from the offset or having longer durability.
“There will be a fairly even mix of Diablo Supercorsa tyres. In terms of front tyres its fairly even between SC1 and SC2 compounds for rider preference,” according to Crilly. “Rears SC0, SC1 and SCX will be used, probably in that order. The majority of the paddock will likely go towards to softer compounds, which performed at a high level at the Official ASBK Test. If the track temperatures are lower, riders may want to run a SC1 or SCX. Motul Supersport will likely be SC1 or SC2 front and SC1 Rear. Hi-Tec Batteries Supersport 300 only have a choice of SC1 front and SC2 rear.
“We spent a fair amount of time talking to the riders and teams at the Official ASBK Test,” stated Crilly. “We compile the information from there and determine the best tyres to take to the upcoming race. The larger teams have already placed their orders of which compounds they want to use during the race.
“There are always so many variables at play when it comes to tyre choice, according to Crilly. “Obviously several riders may have a preference and may choose certain tyres at the majority of the races. It really comes down to the conditions and it can change by the hour.
“Although there is no rain forecast for this weekend’s race, we always pack around 30 sets of tyres just in case,” stated Crilly. “Everyone pretty much has their own wets but we always have backup stock. You have to be prepared for a number of unexpected situations.
“Morgan Park Raceway may be tight and technical, but there are also high-speed sections at the back of the track as well,” according to Crilly. “The bikes need to be setup to be able to handle the slower sections but the fast ones as well. So there has to be a compromise to work well in both scenarios. Riding style, tyres and the bike have to be in perfect unison.
“It’s been a fantastic year so far for Pirelli and everyone at Link International is very proud at the results,” Crilly smiled. “We worked extremely hard over the off-season and that effort is really reaping rewards for us. It was a great start at Round 1 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and we’ve carried the momentum from there.
“We won the championship last year with Crankt Protein Honda Racing Team and Troy Herfoss but I think Pirelli has gone to the next level in 2017. There’s not one factor which has made the difference but we’ve done our homework since last year. We’ve also worked closely with the larger teams and privateers to achieve success. Its all about having the right product for the track and insuring we are getting the best possible performance from the tyres. We also always want to be on hand to provide information to the competitors,” Crilly finished.
To find out more about Link International and Pirelli visit http://www.linkint.com.au/.
Stay up to date with all the latest news and updates from the ASBK by liking ASBK on Facebook, following the @asbk on Instagram and checking out the ASBK website here.
Can’t make it to the track? Then make sure you watch the ASBK, Sunday on channel SBS (1:00 PM AEST) or Live Stream (9:30am AEST) on asbk.com.au.
Tickets for Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland are now available for purchase online. Snap up your tickets for Round 5 today by clicking here!
2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul Pirelli Calendar:
Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD 25-27 August
Round 6 SMSP Eastern Creek, NSW 8-10 September
Round 7 Spokes.com.au presents Phillip Island Circuit, VIC 6-8 October
Photo 1 Courtesy of Andrew Gosling TBG Photography
