French manufacturer Michelin is set to replace Japanese counterpart Bridgestone as the official tyre supplier to MotoGP, the motorcycling world championship’s commercial rights-holder Dorna Sports has announced.

Today’s announcement will take effect from the 2016 season, with Dorna having opened a tender process for the rights earlier this month. Interested tyre manufacturers were able to request the technical specifications from Dorna’s managing director Javier Alonso, with three potential tyre suppliers initially expressing an interest – before Michelin alone made a formal tender before the May 22 deadline.

Dorna said: “The next step in the process will be the drawing out of a commercial agreement between Dorna and Michelin as official tyre supplier, Michelin having already clearly proven its technical abilities to respond to the needs of a demanding grand prix racing schedule.”

Dorna launched the tender after Bridgestone decided to step aside from its role as the official tyre supplier of MotoGP at the end of the 2015 season. Bridgestone announced its decision shortly after signing a one-year extension to its deal with Dorna to continue supplying tyres throughout the 2015 campaign.

Bridgestone first began an affiliation with the series in 2002 before being named as MotoGP’s official tyre supplier in 2009.