Pirelli have beaten Bridgestone to a new tyre contract that begins in 2025; Formula 1's new contract with Pirelli covers 2025 to 2027, with an option for 2028; F1 returns with the United States GP - live on Sky Sports F1 from October 20-22
Tuesday 10 October 2023 15:20, UK
Pirelli will remain as Formula 1's tyre supplier until at least 2027 after beating Bridgestone for a new contract with the sport.
Since 2011, Pirelli have been F1's tyre supplier and their new deal sees them extend their stay in the championship to 2027. Their current contract expired at the end of 2024.
There is an option to extend the deal by a further year into 2028 for the FIA and Formula One Management.
The FIA opened the tender to be the sport's exclusive tyre supplier earlier this year, with Italy's Pirelli ultimately seeing off competition from Japanese firm Bridgestone, who were aiming to regain the deal for the first time since 2010.
Sky Sports understands that the battle for the contract between the two tyre giants has led to a huge hike in the fee being paid to F1 by Pirelli.
"Since returning to the sport in 2011 Pirelli has been an invaluable partner, supporting Formula 1 through new generations of technology and technical regulations and delivering tyres to enable fantastic racing for our fans," said F1 president Stefano Domenicali.
"The company's commitment to quality, innovation and their deep knowledge of our sport will be vital in the coming years as we approach our new regulations in 2026 and the work Pirelli is focused on relating to sustainability, proven by the FSC certification, will ensure we continue to work together towards our shared Net Zero 2030 goal."
Pirelli also announced that from 2024 all tyres used in F1 will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in order to help preserve biological diversity.
Marco Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli's executive vice-president, said: "Thanks to the impetus from Liberty Media and the support of the FIA, the sport is enjoying an extraordinary period of growth both in terms of audience and global expansion, increasing its following among younger generations as well.
"Innovation and technology are locked into Pirelli's DNA, and Formula 1 constitutes the ultimate open-air laboratory to not only try out and test new technical solutions, but also to accelerate fresh research, development, and production processes in making tyres."
Paying tribute to Pirelli for their work in F1 to date, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added that "work will continue in the coming years to take further strides both in terms of performance and sustainability".
Pirelli arrived in the sport with a remit of producing tyres that degrade faster than those seen during the Bridgestone era in order to provide more unpredictable racing and more pit stops.
While their tenure as F1's sole supplier over the past 12 years has not been without flashpoints or controversy - most notoriously at the 2013 British GP when tyres exploded - Pirelli's current experience heading towards the sport's next big regulation change in 2026 appears to have proved an ace card in addition to the significant rise in commercial terms.
Sky Sports News' Craig Slater reported: [The Pirelli era] has changed the style of racing. Not everyone has been into that style, but their expertise is ultimately what has kept them ahead of Bridgestone here.
"Formula 1 is heading into a change of regulations with new cars and engines [in 2026] and it was felt by F1 that it would maybe be irresponsible to bring a new tyre supplier in at that point. The continuation of knowledge has been vital to Pirelli carrying on."
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