Michelin reacts to Pirelli's promotion as official MotoGP tyre manufacturer

Piero Taramasso, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing, reacted to the announcement that the French brand will be replaced by Pirelli as its exclusive tyre supplier in MotoGP from 2027. In a statement, Taramasso explained the reasons why Michelin did not continue its partnership with the championship.

"Unfortunately, this scheme was not an option for Michelin, which has always given priority to MotoGP and MotoE" he said in a voice note sent to the media. The Italian continues, and underlines the importance of discipline for the French manufacturer. "MotoGP represents the pinnacle of motorcycle racing and serves as a testing ground for all of our brand's technological innovations. It is the platform where Michelin develops its expertise, collects a lot of data. Michelin also sets records in collaboration with manufacturers and the best riders in the world."

He continued, specifying that Michelin's withdrawal from the competition was not the will of the brand, but rather the result of a decision taken by Dorna, the company holding the commercial rights to MotoGP.

"This decision follows several months of discussions with Dorna Sports, the organiser of MotoGP. Dorna's intention was to select a single supplier for all categories, including MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, MotoE, as well as supporting series such as the Asian Talent Cup and the Road to MotoGP."

Michelin remains fully committed to MotoGP

This configuration did not fit in with Michelin's strategy, which prefers to focus exclusively on MotoGP and MotoE.

Despite this upcoming change, Michelin remains fully committed for the next two seasons. “We respect Dorna’s position and remain focused on our role as tyre supplier for the 2025 and 2026 seasons for MotoE and MotoGP. We will continue to work hand in hand with our partners.”

The director also highlighted Michelin's commitment to innovation, particularly in MotoE, where the brand is pushing technological boundaries by incorporating more than 50% renewable and recycled materials into its tires, while constantly improving performance.

The change of supplier will coincide with the introduction of new technical regulations in MotoGP in 2027, marking the start of a new era for the championship.

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