After 23 seasons, Pirelli is preparing to leave the World Superbike Championship. Giorgio Barbier, one of the key figures behind the Italian tire manufacturer's racing program, reflects on this historic transition in an interview with Moto.it during the season finale at Jerez.

Since becoming WorldSBK's sole tire supplier in 2004, Pirelli has helped transform the championship, developing tires capable of delivering outstanding performance across very different motorcycles and riders. "We've proved that even when you're the only supplier, you can keep working to improve against yourself," Barbier explains, emphasizing that the ultimate goal has always been to transfer racing technology to products available to everyday enthusiasts.

Now comes a new challenge: MotoGP 2027 and the introduction of 850cc machines. The project requires an intensive development program and close cooperation with manufacturers, who must adapt their motorcycles to tires fundamentally different from those used until now.

Barbier also discusses Michelin's arrival in WorldSBK, recalls legendary riders including Troy Bayliss, Carlos Checa and Toprak Razgatlioglu, and considers the potential arrival of Chinese manufacturers in international motorcycle racing.

Above all, the interview reveals his strong emotional connection to a paddock that, after more than two decades of shared challenges and achievements, still feels like a second home. A defining chapter is closing for Pirelli, just as an entirely new one is about to begin.