Inside Pirelli’s Secret Tire Testing Center on the Slopes of Mount Etna
An unmarked facility on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, kept strictly confidential by Pirelli: this is where every two-wheel tire prototype gets put through its paces. En Roue Libre is one of the very first media outlets ever invited inside.
From urban and gravel to road, mountain bike and all the way up to MotoGP, every Pirelli tire passes through this center. Around the site, the brand has built dedicated test circuits and loops for each discipline.
The film follows Alberto and his team of extraordinary test riders — hundreds of thousands of kilometers in their legs, able to feel a pressure change caused by altitude, a casing softening in the heat, or a few km/h of difference through a corner. Prototypes arrive with no markings at all, so the riders judge on feel alone.
Don’t miss the next behind-the-scenes features — subscribe to the En Roue Libre newsletter.
