By Mike Nicks

Dunlop and Pirelli will slug it out in a two-manufacturer contest to win the valuable contract to supply the entire 𝔍British Superbike and British Supersport grids in 2008, it emerged at Brands Hatch this weeken♉d.

Both companies bring huge credi♚bility in their attempt to clinch a deal that is aimed at levelling competition and reducing costs in one of the world's premier꧃ motorcycle racing series.

Pirelli have already proved that they can supply 30,000 tyres a year in their role as the sole provider for the World Superbike and World Supersp൲ort series. And Dunlop can point to an involvement with British Superbikes since 1972 - and the fact that their racing tyres are made in Britain.

"We will be putting everything behind this bid," Dunlop UK Motorsport manager Phil Plater said. 🌱"I've been involved with this championship for 16 years, I know every circuit inside out, and product availability will not be a problem for us. Everything is in place, and we could do this tomorrow."

Dunlop already supply a majority ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚof the 30-plus starters in the Superbike championship, while Pirelli ca﷽ter for slightly more than half of the Supersport teams with their Italian-built tyres.

"We will be tendering," Pirelli's UK racing m𓂃anager Jason Griffiths confirmed at Brands. "We have the experience of supplying the World Superbike series. We 💧already have five or six riders in British Superbikes, and we have proved in WSB that supply will not be a problem."

Reigning BSB champions Michelin will not tender for the deal, the company's tyre chief Daniel Croispine confirmed at Brands. The French company had already decided to quit▨ the Bri🔯tish Superbike scene now that Honda is withdrawing its official HRC Fireblades from the 2008 series, which will have simplified technical rules.

He said that Mic❀helin prefers to contest free-tyre ch🦄ampionships, and suggested that the gap between the fastest and slowest riders in World Superbikes had remained about the same, despite the use of a single-tyre rule.

"It still doesn't give the same chance to everyone⛦," he added.

BSB race director Stuart Higgs has received no indication that MotoGP championsꦕ Bridgestone are interested in entering a Superbike contest.