It's been agonizing to watch Michelin sponsor MotoGP for the past few years. Tire pressure problems were the most talked about topic, before becoming a taboo, off-limits subject. Either way, it didn't paint Michelin in a good light.
Serious fans were sick of watching media training come into play and riders suppressing opinions, while casual fans who read the headlines were only seeing negative press about Michelin. It made me wonder if the higher ups at Michelin regretted paying, what's sure to be a massive sum, to sponsor MotoGP. The tire manufacturer only has to suffer two more years of potentially bad press because Pirelli is coming to the rescue.
Pirelli already provides rubber for Moto3 and Moto2, but from 2027 it'll add MotoGP to that list. MotoGP's organizers and Pirelli have agreed on a five-year deal, which will last until 2031 and put an end to a decade of Michelin sponsorship. The MotoE racing series will continue to be sponsored by Michelin for the next two years.
The question that I wonder about is, if you're Pirelli, who are you feeling about supplying the fastest motorcycle racing class with rubber, especially after seeing the negative press it brought your competitor during the past few years? Well, it'll be a different landscape when Pirelli hit the scene.
The 2027 MotoGP racing season brings with it a new ruleset, which is intended to slow the bikes down. The engine size will be reduced from 1000cc to 850cc, there won't be any ride-height devices, and the dimensions of the aerodynamic parts will also be reduced.
But some have already theorized that the new regulations won't be enough to sufficiently slow down MotoGP machinery and make the bikes safe for the current crop of tracks.
Let us know what you think. Has Pirelli picked the perfect opportunity to enter MotoGP and position itself as a savior? Or will it face the same criticism that Michelin has for the past couple of years?
