New World Superbike awards from Pirelli

From Pirelli Tires

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – Pirelli’s commitment to the growth of the Superbike World Championship has been unwavering since taking on the sole tire supplier role in 2004.

As a way of offering additional support, Pirelli has announced several performance awards as additional incentives for a faster and more spectacular environment. These new awards increase the existing prizes for podium finishes and final season standings, while at the same time adding three new types of awards to the total prize pool: Pirelli 'Best Lap,' Pirelli 'Best Jump Forward,' and 'Best Lap Winner 2010: Fastest Rider of the Year.'

The 'Best Lap' awards are prizes extended after each Superbike and Supersport race to riders who have recorded the fastest lap of the race.

For the Superstock classes, the performance awards take on a different approach, as Pirelli will offer instead a 'Best Jump Forward' award for each race of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup and European Superstock 600, in order to promote and develop new talents in the two classes. 'Best Jump Forward' refers to the number of recovered positions from a rider’s starting position on the grid to his final race standing.

Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director for Pirelli Moto commented: “This investment by Pirelli Moto will help accent that which is important to the spectators as well as the future of the series: fast and exciting racing delivered by superior racing product. We ask these talented riders for their constant feedback and efforts to help develop our tires further. In return, we offer these performance awards for making fast laps and encouraging the young guns to rise to the top.”

The prize-giving ceremonies will be held during the press conference at the Paddock Show after the podium of each race and attended by a Pirelli representative.

In addition, a dedicated classification for the 'Fastest Rider of the Year' will be updated and displayed on TV and on the official website of the championship, www.worldsbk.com.

During the Championship prize-giving ceremony at the end of each season, the 'Best Lap Winner: Fastest Rider of the Year' awards will be presented to the Superbike and Supersport riders who have captured the most Best Laps throughout the year.