In MotoGP, tire costs have always been a closed-door topic. Motorsport.com spoke with Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli's director of motorcycle racing, who will be the sole tire supplier for the premier class, Moto2, and Moto3 from the 2027 season onwards, to get answers to these key questions.
Does the supplier pay, or the organizer?
In MotoGP, under the exclusive supplier model, the tire manufacturer pays the organizer a licensing fee. Barbier explained this with a concrete example: “In every motorcycle race and Formula 1, the tire manufacturer pays the organizer. Let's say I pay six million euros as the sole supplier; but the total cost of the tires is 36 million euros, and you pay that 36 million.’ This statement by the director summarizes the financial balance between the two parties: how additional costs such as production, logistics, personnel, and factory organization are shared, in addition to the fixed licensing fee, is determined at the negotiating table.
Barbier emphasized that there is no hard and fast formula, saying, “These are negotiations. The cost of the tire is one thing; the service, the staff, and the entire organization are another. You can ask the organizer to cover a portion of these costs; that’s part of the deal.”.
Do teams pay for tires?
In the World Superbike Championship (SBK), teams pay for their own tires, but the situation is different in MotoGP. Barbier stated, "In Superbike, teams pay; this is not currently foreseen in MotoGP." He clarified that Moto2 and Moto3 teams pay for their tires, and that there are no plans for any such pricing in the premier class.
MotoGP, under contract, prohibits Pirelli from selling its racing tires on the market. The main reason for this is to prevent teams from purchasing tires and testing them independently. As a reflection of this strict control, the number of test tires allocated to manufacturers throughout the season is also limited; depending on the council's ranking, manufacturers can utilize between 170 and 260 test tires per year.
How much does a MotoGP tire cost approximately?
Barbier stated that he couldn't reveal the exact price of Pirelli's racing tire, but offered a hint: "Think about how much the tire on your motorcycle costs," he said. The Pirelli Diablo Superbike rear tire sells for around 300 euros. The director added, "We make MotoGP prototypes with the same machines that produce that 300 euro tire, and in the same factory in Breuberg (Germany); I only change the materials, there may be minor changes in the process, but my cost will never be very different.".
Pirelli will take over the role in 2027 with the 850cc technical regulations, becoming the third exclusive supplier to replace Bridgestone, who held the position from 2009-2015, and Michelin, who has been in that role since 2016. Michelin is completing its 11th and final season this year.