Dunlop pushes tire development ahead of 2023 Moto2™, Moto3™ season

• Dunlop to introduce new technologies to push performance
• New tires to roll out during the season in Moto2™ and Moto3™

Dunlop is preparing for another thrilling season of FIM Moto2™ and Moto3™ action when the 2023 championship gets underway in Portimao, Portugal, on 26th March. Dunlop enters 2023 ready to begin its 14th and 12th year of exclusive tire supply to Moto2™ and Moto3™, respectively, pushing forward development with new technologies throughout the tire range. 

Moto2™: Dunlop prepares for closer racing as bikes get tire, engine and chassis upgrade

The 2023 Moto2™ tire range comprises three front and five rear tires, giving Dunlop the flexibility to shape the selection depending on circuit characteristics. The rear options include four different compounds as well as an asymmetric option that features different compounds on the left and right sides. Riders benefit from an asymmetric tire at circuits which work one side of the tire significantly harder, such as the Sachsenring and Barcelona.

The development of new tires is a theme that continues into 2023, as Dunlop will graduate a number of its development specifications to the range this season. Improvements to bike performance demand constant upgrades: in the last two seasons, 14 all-time Moto2™ records have been broken, largely due to technological advances and tires that can extract the maximum from the bikes.

Stephen Bickley, Senior Race Engineer, Dunlop, explains the next generation of Moto2™ tires: “Every year the bikes ask more from the tires with higher corner speeds. This season, engine provider Triumph will increase the bikes’ power, which should produce closer racing. We have developed new softer tires with a performance-focused approach to give more strategy options to teams. 

Moto3™: Next-generation tire range to be finalised for closely contested championship

This year, Dunlop will complete the rollout of its new generation of Moto3™ tires, too, with the new front soft making its race debut in Portimao to replace the soft used in 2022. After that, Dunlop is on track to introduce a new hard rear compound midway through the season. These new tires will push performance in a class that produces some of motorsport’s closest racing.

Dunlop will also introduce new wet tires with improved performance to give riders more confidence on the edge of the tire. 

Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop, highlights how Dunlop’s Moto2™ and Moto3™ involvement is so important to the brand: “As the exclusive tire supplier, it would be easy to become complacent, but the Dunlop philosophy is to constantly chase improvements within every championship we work with. Moto2™ and Moto3™ represent a huge technical challenge as the bikes continue to evolve year after year. Teams and riders expect us to keep pace with that level of development and we’re excited that 2023 will be another year that sees our products make a considerable step forward in performance, while promoting close racing through varied strategy options.”