Michele Pirro Clinches Seventh Italian Superbike Title, Solidifying Legacy with Ducati

Michele Pirro clinches his seventh Italian Superbike championship

Ducati MotoGP test rider Michele Pirro has won another CIV Italian Superbike title.

Michele Pirro, who serves as the primary test rider for Ducati Corse's MotoGP and WorldSBK teams, has secured his seventh championship title in the CIV Italian Superbike series.

Pirro, who competes for the Barni Ducati squad that also features Danilo Petrucci in the World Superbike Championship and Yari Montella in the World Supersport Championship, secured the championship at Mugello last weekend.

Pirro clinched his seventh championship in the CIV Superbike category, adding to his previous victories in 2015, 2016 through 2019, and 2021 to 2022. This achievement also marked his 10th overall title in the CIV series, which includes championships in Superstock 1000 in both 2007 and 2008, and a Supersport title in 2009.

According to this count, Pirro ranks third in the history of CIV championships, trailing Tarquinio Provini with 11 titles and Giacomo Agostini with 16 titles. Agostini secured 10 consecutive 500cc titles from 1968 to 1977.

The title follows a contentious conclusion to the 2023 CIV Superbike season held at Imola. In the final moments, Lorenzo Zanetti, who was competing against Pirro for the championship, collided with him at the Variante Bassa. This incident caused Pirro to fall, ultimately allowing Zanetti to secure the championship. As a result, Pirro, who has now won the Superbike Championship seven times, lost the title to Zanetti.

Zanetti has chosen not to defend his CIV championship title this year. Instead, he is competing in the IDM German Superbike Championship. He began the IDM season successfully, securing a victory in the season's first race at the Sachsenring. However, his only other podium finish came in the second race of the latest round at the Nurburgring. During this period, Ilya Mikhalchik has dominated the competition, clinching his fourth IDM Superbike championship title this year.

Zanetti has been missing during a standout season for Pirro. So far, Pirro, who races with the number 51, has claimed victory in seven out of ten races over five rounds. Alessandro Delbianco secured a win when Pirro failed to complete Race 1 at the first Mugello event and again when Pirro placed fourth in Race 2 at the second Misano event. Last weekend, Luca Bernardi won Race 2 at Mugello, at which point Pirro secured the championship.

The concluding race of the 2024 CIV Superbike season is scheduled for September 27-29 at Imola.

Photo courtesy of Ducati Corse/X.

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