PRESS RELEASE: Starting in 2027, Michelin will become the exclusive supplier for the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). Michelin will bring to WorldSBK its expertise in high performance, its commitment to sustainability, and the excellence of its technical and development teams.
“This commitment marks a new strategic step for the Group, confirming its global presence in motorcycle racing, following its successes in MotoGP and MotoE. It is part of a logical approach: to build on technological innovations developed in premier categories and apply them to a championship where the bikes are closer to production models.”
“We are very pleased to be able to commit so quickly to a world-class motorcycle racing championship starting in 2027,” said Matthieu Bonardel, Director of Michelin Motorsport. “The WorldSBK offers an ideal environment to bring our technologies even closer to those used by all riders, whether on the track or on the road. The audience of this championship is mainly made up of enthusiasts who own super sport motorcycles. For them, we will do everything possible to deliver high-quality entertainment, supported by tyres with outstanding performance.”
By choosing to become the exclusive supplier for WorldSBK, Michelin is reaffirming its desire to contribute to the development of tyres that combine high performance, durability, and accessibility. As the motorcycles competing in WorldSBK are directly derived from production models, the technologies developed for this championship can be quickly applied to tyre ranges intended for all motorcycle enthusiasts.
Having already achieved success in the WorldSBK championship in the early 2000s — with 12 titles won in an open-competition environment — Michelin is reconnecting with a discipline that perfectly aligns with its innovation-driven DNA focused on serving all riders.
Through its involvement in WorldSBK, Michelin will offer manufacturers, teams, and riders its top-level expertise in motorcycle competition, its proven ability to combine sporting performance with environmental responsibility, and the excellence of its technical, development, and performance analysis teams.
Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 175 countries and employs 129,800 people.
In South Africa, Michelin motorcycle Tyres are distributed by Autocycle Centre.
