Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has enhanced its partnership with the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) by taking on title sponsorship of the motorcycling series’ new race in Malaysia.
WSBK returns to the Southeast Asian country for the first time since 1993 when Sepang International Circuit hosts the sixth race of the 2014 season on June 8. The length of Pirelli’s deal for the event has not been disclosed, but it will result in the race being renamed the Pirelli Malaysian Round.
Pirelli moto racing director Giorgio Barbier said: “Asia, particularly the Southeast, is for sure the largest two-wheeled market in the world. In particular, in recent years the segment of high displacement machines is having very strong growth and all the major motorcycle manufacturers now have production factories on site.
“We are also going to start our production of motorcycle tyres in Indonesia starting from 2015 and to become the event main sponsor of this Superbike World Championship round, it seemed like a great opportunity for visibility in an area of the world that has recently attracted the strong interest of all motorcycle manufacturers because it is a ‘fertile soil’ and rich in motorcycle enthusiasts.”
Pirelli currently serves as a second-tier ‘top sponsor’ of WSBK alongside Alfa Romeo. The company is also WSBK’s official tyre supplier.