Dunlop starts CIV tyre supply

Last weekend, Dunlop began its tenure as the exclusive tyre supplier to the highest echelon of Italian two-wheeled motorsport, the top Superbike category of the Campionato Italiano Velocità (CIV).

The opening rounds of the season took place at the Misano Adriatico circuit and were won by Luca Vitali and Michele Pirro. Honda rider Vitali responded positively to the tyres’ initial performance and looks forward to learning how to get the most out of them as the season progresses: “There is still room for improvement, but the Dunlop tyres performed well and held up to the end. Tyre management will also be a challenge in terms of race strategy.”

In cold and changeable weather conditions, Pirro beat his 2021 race winning best lap time by over 0.7 seconds, showing the improved pace offered by the range of Dunlop tyres now available in this highly competitive championship.

Dunlop also had a strong start to the season in other classes as part of the opening CIV event. Christian Gamarino won the first National Trophy 1000 round of the year, with two other Dunlop riders in the top five. Dunlop is the exclusive supplier to the Moto3 and PreMoto3 classes, which both put on a thrilling spectacle for the fans. In the Women’s European Cup, Jessica Howden secured the opening win with Dunlop tyres.

“We’re pleased with the strong start to the season with Dunlop as the exclusive tyre supplier to CIV Superbike,” comments Wim van Achter, Dunlop motorsport manager. “We are happy with the pace from Misano, especially considering the challenging weather conditions that gave us a test right from the start. Thank you to all of the teams and our partners, and we look forward to the rest of the season to build on this success.”