Dunlop Takes 15th Consecutive 250cc World Championship Title

Jorge Lorenzo’s podium finish in the 250cc Race at the Malaysian GP on October 20 not only sealed his second consecutive World Championship title, but also brought Dunlop their 15th consecutive title in the 250cc category, whilst Hiroshi Aoyama’s win for KTM extended their unbroken sequence of 250cc GP wins to 186. Ten riders (Harada, Biaggi, Capirossi, Rossi, Jacque, Kato, Melandri, Poggiali, Pedrosa and Lorenzo) have contributed to this sequence of World Championship titles, whilst 30 different riders have stood worn their Dunlop winners caps on the top step of the podium since Max Biaggi started this unbroken chain of race wins at Suzuka in April 1996.

Despite what the manufacturer sees as a lack of competition in this class from other tyre manufacturers in recent years, Dunlop has continued to push forward with tyre development. During the year new race lap records have been established at nearly every circuit where racing took place in dry conditions, as riders reaped the benefits of a new front profile, introduced at the beginning of 2007, whilst its multi-compound rear tyres – first introduced to 250 GP at the end of 2005 – have continuously been improved and are now available worldwide as part of Dunlop’s standard range. Dunlop usually offers riders on factory machines a choice of three front and three rear dry specifications at each race.

Nine of Dunlop’s last fifteen World Championships have been won by Aprilia riders, and Luigi Dall’Igna, technical director of Piaggio’s Racing Group recognises the continuous improvement Dunlop has made with its 250cc tyres : “A good bike needs good tyres, and Dunlop have really moved the performance level forward, especially over the last two years. We are very happy with the long collaboration between Aprilia and Dunlop, and confident that it will continue to bring us both even more Championship titles together.”