Pirelli Report: World SBK Brno

World Superbike Press Release

In general the available grip from the Brno racetrack seemed slightly reduced this year, and that contributed to Ben Spies not quite getting to the existing outright lap record set by Troy Bayliss last year. Once again, four different manufacturers in the top four proved how well Pirelli products suit all forms and configurations of Superbike.

Brno is notoriously hard on front tires, so Pirelli brought four possible choices in the Superbike class, two for ultimate performance and two more conservative options should weather and track conditions require them. In the race most riders used the more performance-oriented compounds, front and rear. There were also four choices for the rear tires.

Race 1 winner Biaggi set incredibly consistent and fast laps throughout, as did eventual second and third place riders Carlos Checa and Jonathan Rea. With privateer Shane Byrne's Ducati fourth and Troy Corser a brilliant fifth on the BMW, Pirelli's products once more allowed a vast array of machines to be competitive at the very top level of Superbike racing.

Biaggi stuck with his front ‘B' and rear ‘A' tire choices in race two, merely making small suspension adjustments for the increase in track temperature from 27 to 39 degrees. It allowed him to finish within 0.213 of the eventual race winner Ben Spies, who recovered from his race one misfortune in the best way possible, with a race win - his 11th of the year. The lap record was broken in race two more than once, with Biaggi able to put in the eventual record of 1'59.961 on lap 15 of 20, once again showing how well the tires worked right to the end. Troy Corser and BMW were delighted to see their best result of the year, having taken advantage of the new "B" compound Pirelli tire for 2009 to finish just two spots shy of the podium in fifth place.

Pirelli DIABLO SUPERCORSA tires helped Crutchlow set a new track best in the Supersport class of 2'02.060, and on lap six of the race he set a 2'02.708. Crutchlow's race lap record was 1.3 seconds better than the previous best in race conditions.