Pirelli yet to decide whether it wants to continue F1 tyre supply after 2024

2025 F1 season

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Formula 1’s current tyre supplier Pirelli says it is undecided over whether it apply to continue in the role for the 2025 to 2027 seasons.

Pirelli has been the exclusive tyre supplier for F1 since 2011, and also provides rubber for the Formula 2 and Formula 3 support series.

The FIA launched the process for tyre manufacturers to lodge their interest in taking on the next three-year supply deal earlier this week. It gave extensive details of what is expected from any interested manufacturers in terms of the technical specifications of the tyres they would supply.

Pirelli acknowledged the development in a statement on Wednesday and said it was considering its response.

“The FIA has now published the invitation to participate in the next tender process for the supply of tyres to the top single-seater championships – FIA F1 world championship, F2 and F3 – for the three year period from 2025-2027 (with an option for 2028),” said the manufacturer.

“The document outlines technical characteristics that are broadly in line with the tyres used today and their relevance to technology transfer from track to road, putting a particular emphasis on sustainability.

“The framework described by the FIA is closely aligned to Pirelli’s motorsport strategy and so is of great interest, with the Italian company having been Global Tyre Partner to the sport for more than a decade, since 2011. A definitive decision about Pirelli’s participation in the selection process will naturally be taken after a detailed examination of the FIA’s document.”

Multiple tyre manufacturers are currently active at the top level of single-seater racing. Hankook replaced Michelin as the new supplier for Formula E this season, while Firestone being a long-time partner of IndyCar and Yokohama supplying Super Formula. All manufacturers are increasingly focussed on promoting the sustainability of their products.

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Ida Wood
Often found in junior single-seater paddocks around Europe doing journalism and television commentary, or dabbling in teaching photography back in the UK. Currently based...

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21 comments on “Pirelli yet to decide whether it wants to continue F1 tyre supply after 2024”

  1. It is going to happen amyways…

  2. Electroball76
    22nd March 2023, 11:38

    Will new suppliers have to pay a $200 million anti-dilution fee? It’s only fair..

  3. If they get outbid, they totally didn’t want to continue anyway!

  4. It would put F1 in an interesting position if all the tire companies no bid the contract. As to sustainability, how about reducing the number of compounds from five to three?

    1. How would that help? They only bring three compounds to any given weekend anyway (not counting wet/inter). They could reduce the number of tyre sets allocated to each team, and perhaps only bring two compounds, but they must think that would have a negative impact on the event.

      I understand that the tyres are thrown away at the end of the weekend even if they haven’t done a single lap. If there was a way to avoid that it would massively save wastage (especially of wet/inter tyres).

      1. Reducing the number of sets of tyres is already underway. A slow process, but they have gradually been reducing the sets available. Note the “new” qualifying system that is being trialed this year includes a reduction in the number of sets provided.
        I believe you are right, the tyres are made and delivered for each event and then all are returned to Pirelli. My suspicion is that the tyres have a shelf life and it would not be feasible to carry any over one event to the next.
        In a recent interview, Mario Isola of Pirelli was asked what happens to the old tyres. He said they were all converted to energy. Translation, burned. Presumably in an power generating facility or more likely a cement kiln.

      2. @thelem that’s not quite true – if the tyre has been mounted onto a wheel rim, then it does tend to be disposed of, but if the tyre has not been mounted onto a wheel rim, then the tyres tend to be re-used at later events.

    2. Yes, it would be interesting to see what happens if nobody bid for the contract, although I think that is unlikely. My guess is at least some of the less well known tyre brands will tender for the contract, which may not be good for F1, and hopefully some of the world’s best tyre brands put in bids as well. F1 tyres have to be built to a very high standard with very tight tolerances, which requires a huge amount of technical, engineering, and manufacturing capability.

  5. The very point is the designed-to-degrade philosophy. If that doesn’t change in the mandate then Pirelli or any other will make no difference.

    1. There is no design to degrade philosophy required by the FIA

      https://www.racefans.net/2016/07/15/f1-to-scrap-high-degradation-tyres-in-2017-pirelli/

      Pirelli must make their tires chemically degrade or else they will burst like we have seen many time before since 2011. It is a fuse pirelli must put in it’s tires because of an inherent weakness they have where the sidewall connects to the tread. Pirelli are trash.

      1. @megatron The quote in that article is the key issue so many have with Pirelli (somewhat unfairly, more on that below):

        “We will have much less degradation in 2017 and tyres will – if we achieve what we are trying to achieve – have a wider operating window,” said Hembery.

        They never managed to do that.

        Pirelli is asked to do two things:
        – Make tyres with a wide operating window so that both good and slightly lesser (we’re still only talking a few seconds a lap at most) teams can push their cars without constantly juggling the tyre temperatures and pressures.
        – Make compounds that facilitate multiple strategies by balancing durability and performance.

        Pirelli hasn’t done a good job achieving those targets. But I don’t know if anyone else could necessarily do better. The mandate, for lack of a better word, is rather terrible and does a tyre supplier no favours. Pirelli can make great tyres. They do so all the time. It’s no wonder many high performance cars come fitted with Pirelli tyres out of the factory, and their normal road tyres constantly rank among the best.

        F1 needs to get real with itself, and stop trying to get Pirelli to fix all their problems. The new regulations are a total failure. Instead, they should take a good long look at why Indycar and LMH cars can fight for position on track, even off line, push their tyres for entire stints, and still put out performance that – should they choose to relax a few purposeful limitations – could be competitive in F1.

        1. Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone 100% could do better. Especially the latter two. They have a ton of technology that Pirelli doesn’t.

        2. Pirelli are the problem, they provide trash, on the track or road. They never win any competitive series.

  6. Queue the Goodyear returning to F1 stories..

    1. I heard Goodyear is thinking of returning……

      1. That would be a Bridge too far…….

  7. Why is it multiple engine manufacturers are allowed to compete at the same time and several teams as well. But only one tyre manufacturer is allowed in F1 resulting in the contrived racing bt forcing everybody to use more than one specification of tyre per race thus needing them to pit at least once during the race (otherwise since the ban on mid-race refuelling races could be completed without any pitstops). The sport needs to allow more than one tyre manufacturer to supply which will increase the uncertainty and level of competition.

    1. Seann Sheriland
      23rd March 2023, 16:33

      I agree and wonder why this has not happened.
      Competition between tire manufacturers, would up the excitement of races.

      1. We know from history that it simply does not work out like that.

    2. Tire wars suck. They always do. You don’t want them.

  8. playstation361
    26th March 2023, 18:22

    Jesus. I thought you were highly profitable.

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