Pirelli continues evaluation of new Moto2 soft front tyres in Austria

· Development work on soft front tyres continues. For next weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Pirelli will once again make the E1089 soft-compound development front tyre available to Moto2™ riders. The tyre made its debut at the Aragón Grand Prix and was appreciated by many riders. The new development specification differs from the range SC1 soft tyre in terms of its compound, while retaining the same structure. On a track such as the Red Bull Ring, characterised by numerous braking zones and significant decelerations, the E1089 specification could prove effective thanks to the greater stability it offers, particularly under braking. The front allocation is completed by the range SC1, giving riders another opportunity to make a direct comparison between the two tyres.

· SCX confirmed. At the rear, Pirelli is confirming the allocation chosen for last year’s edition, making the SCX supersoft available to riders. Last year, as the E0126 development specification, it proved to be the winning choice both in qualifying and in the race. The alternative is the range SC0 soft, which was also present at the Red Bull Ring last year as a development solution and could prove useful in the event of lower temperatures.

· Soft and medium in Moto3™. In Moto3™, riders will have the SC1 soft and SC2 medium compounds available for both axles. In 2025, Argentina’s Valentin Perrone (KTM) secured both Saturday’s pole position and Sunday’s race victory using the combination of the SC2 front and SC1 rear, the latter being unanimously chosen by all riders on the grid, while the two available front options received an equal number of selections.

· A unique track. The Red Bull Ring is a rather atypical circuit, just over four kilometres long and featuring only 11 corners, eight right-handers and just three left-handers. Its layout is characterised by demanding braking zones, heavy decelerations and pronounced changes of direction, where braking stability, corner entry and good traction when accelerating out of low-speed corners are key. The asphalt generally offers low grip, with limited wear, while weather conditions could play a very important role, considering that this year the race will take place at the beginning of autumn rather than in mid-August, meaning potentially lower temperatures.

A new test for the soft front tyre at the Red Bull Ring

“The Austrian Grand Prix represents a further opportunity to continue the development work on Moto2™ front tyres, which began in Aragón and continued at Misano. On a track that differs significantly from MotorLand Aragón, with severe braking, strong acceleration and few high-speed corners, we will once again make the E1089 soft front specification available. This will allow us to broaden its evaluation and continue the comparison with the range SC1. The objective is to gather further data and feedback that will be useful for the development of this solution.
At the rear, we are confirming last year’s allocation with the SCX, which also originated as a development tyre. Introduced in 2025 as the E0126 specification and subsequently added to the range, it is now the category benchmark. If weather conditions are favourable, it will be interesting to assess the performance gains compared with last season, both over a flying lap and across race distance. In the event of lower temperatures, riders will also have the range SC0 soft at their disposal, which was introduced at the Red Bull Ring in 2025 as the E0125 development solution.
The Austrian event will also be particularly relevant looking ahead. On the Monday following the race, the Spielberg circuit will host a private test session dedicated to the tyres that will be used by the premier class next season, providing an important opportunity to continue data collection and development work ahead of Pirelli’s debut as the World Championship single tyre supplier”.