F1's Tyre Future Secured
Formula 1 Extends Pirelli Tyre Partnership Through 2028, Highlighting Innovation and 2026 Readiness
Key Points
Pirelli’s leadership framed F1 as more than a commercial relationship, with Marco Tronchetti Provera saying: “Pirelli is not just a supplier but instead a strategic partner… Formula 1 represents the best laboratory for us to innovate, test cutting-edge technical solutions, and continually improve research and development processes, for the benefit of tomorrow’s road tyres.”
For the 2026 regulation shift, Pirelli said there has been a “slight reduction in width” of the tyres, requiring drivers to adapt their driving style; PlanetF1 also reported Pirelli’s wet tyres “having yet to be used in competition so far this season.”
MotorsportWeek added more technical/history detail than the main coverage: Pirelli’s “bounce back from the tyre explosions of 2012,” plus the claim that tyres have covered “334,942km during a full race distance” and that the company’s compounds “transformed races” through faster degradation during the mid-2010s.
Formula1’s corporate release emphasized how track learnings translate into broader development, saying lessons from “extreme conditions, multiple compounds, and driver demands” feed directly into R&D and “accelerat[e] progress in tyre design and sustainability, materials and processes that extend well beyond the racetrack.” It also reiterated Pirelli’s “first present… in the championship’s inaugural season in 1950.”
Motorsport.com noted the commercial backdrop: in 2023 Pirelli “fended off Bridgestone to win the FIA’s tender” for a new deal running through to the end of 2027, which included an option for an additional season now triggered to extend the agreement to 2028.
Formula 1 has confirmed Pirelli will remain the sport's sole tyre supplier through the end of 2028, after the FIA exercised a one-year contract option in agreement with F1 and Pirelli. The extension builds on a deal first awarded in October 2023, when Pirelli beat off a competing bid from Bridgestone to secure supply rights through 2027, according to Motorsport.com.
Pirelli has been F1's exclusive tyre partner since 2011, when it replaced Bridgestone. The Italian manufacturer also supplies the feeder series F2, F3, and F1 Academy, and has now covered more than 334,942 km worth of Grand Prix racing since joining the sport, according to MotorsportWeek.
FIA Triggers 2028 Option Amid 2026 Regulation Overhaul
The timing of the extension is no coincidence. Formula 1 is set for its biggest technical shakeup in years in 2026, with lighter cars, new power units, and narrower tyres. Pirelli has already designed its new constructions with that era in mind, according to BBC Sport. Locking in the supplier now gives teams and the FIA a stable foundation to plan around.
For the 2026 season, Pirelli confirmed a "slight reduction in width" at both the front and rear of the tyre. Drivers will need to adapt their style to manage the different grip levels that come with the new dimensions, according to PlanetF1. Pirelli's wet tyres have also "yet to be used in competition so far this season," a lingering challenge for the manufacturer.
Pirelli Frames F1 as a Global Technology Laboratory
Pirelli's Executive Vice-President Marco Tronchetti Provera was clear about why the sport matters beyond the pit lane. "Pirelli is not just a supplier but instead a strategic partner," he said. "Formula 1 represents the best laboratory for us to innovate, test cutting-edge technical solutions, and continually improve research and development processes, for the benefit of tomorrow's road tyres."
Formula 1 echoed that message in its corporate release, saying lessons from "extreme conditions, multiple compounds, and driver demands" feed directly into R&D and "accelerate progress in tyre design and sustainability, materials and processes that extend well beyond the racetrack." F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali praised Pirelli's "technical focus on performance, innovation, and sustainability."
From 1950 Silverstone to 500 Grands Prix: A Long Road Back
Pirelli's history with F1 stretches back to the very first Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950, where Giuseppe Farina won on Pirelli Stella Bianca tyres. The brand returned as sole supplier in 2011 after a long absence, taking over from Bridgestone with a clear mandate: create high-degradation tyres to generate more pit stops and overtaking.
The early years were not without trouble. Pirelli faced serious tyre failures at the 2012 and 2013 British Grand Prix, forcing a mid-season switch from steel to Kevlar belts, according to MotorsportWeek. The company recovered its footing and has since passed the milestone of 500 Grands Prix. Critics noted the high-degradation era sometimes led to "management racing" rather than flat-out speed, but F1 has kept the single-supplier model to control costs and safety.
Bridgestone Bid Rejected, Tyre War Arguments Remain Unresolved
Pirelli did not keep the 2023 tender unopposed. Bridgestone, which left F1 after 2010, submitted a competing bid to return. The FIA ultimately chose Pirelli, with sustainability a key factor. Since 2024, all Pirelli F1 tyres have carried FSC certification, meaning the natural rubber used is sourced from responsibly managed forests, according to Motorsport.com.
Some fans and analysts still push for a "tyre war" — meaning two or more rival suppliers competing — arguing it would drive faster lap times. F1 has rejected this, pointing to higher testing costs and potential safety gaps between teams on different rubber. With the contract now running to 2028, that debate will stay theoretical for at least another two seasons, according to Yahoo Sports.
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