With the start of the 2018 IDM season, Pirelli will become the exclusive tire supplier for all participants in the Superbike 1000, Supersport 600 and 300, and Superstock 600 classes. With the exception of Superstock 600, these classes are all also contested in the Superbike World Championship. A corresponding agreement for 2018 and 2019 was reached today between the series organizer, Motor Presse, and tire manufacturer Pirelli. The top German motorcycle racing series is thus following the example of events such as the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and the British Superbike Championship (BSB), which have relied on Pirelli as their series supplier for several years now. As is already the case in these racing series, riders in the IDM will compete onDiabloSuperbike tires (in the Superbike 1000 class) and Diablo Supercorsa tires (in all other classes).
Standard tires boost appeal
Experience from these racing series has shown that introducing a single-tire rule increases the level of competition across the entire field and boosts the sport’s overall appeal. “This is a major advantage, especially for the fans, but indirectly also for the riders and teams, as greater popularity for the series naturally translates into increased interest from sponsors,” explains Matthias Schröter, head of the Action Team at Motor Presse, which acts as the promoter of the IDM. “The new agreement is a key building block for the targeted further development of our racing series. An important point here is that Pirelli’s concept also places a high priority on promoting talent.”
Pirelli's Support Program
As a new partner of the series, Pirelli has worked closely with IDM officials to develop a broad-based support program for the IDM that explicitly includes the 600cc and 300cc junior classes. The program is based on Pirelli actively supporting top riders in all racing classes as they move up to the next higher category in the IDM. Added to this is an option for the World Championship: “Thanks to our many years of experience as the tire supplier for the Superbike World Championship, we have excellent contacts with the organizers and teams in this series,” adds Michael Müller. “We want to leverage these connections so that suitable IDM riders can showcase themselves on the international stage early on and gain valuable experience in the process. Since we are convinced of the potential of our national riders, we have budgeted a mid-five-figure sum for Pirelli’s junior program.” In addition to support through guest starts in the Superbike World Championship, Pirelli also plans to assist qualified riders in advancing to the World Championship field. Like all other components of the support program, this assistance applies in principle to every displacement class in the IDM.