A scuffed Pirelli tyre on a Red Bull Racing RB19. 30.04.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 4, Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku Street Circuit, Azerbaijan, Race Day. – www.xpbimages.com, EMail: [email protected] © Copyright: Bearne / XPB Images
Formula 1 team bosses are keen to see Pirelli remain as the sport’s sole tyre provider with “many, many millions of reasons” to continue with the Italian brand.
Earlier this year, the FIA began the tender process for F1’s official tyre supply contract. Providers including Pirelli and Bridgestone are understood to be competing for a contract to supply the sport between 2025 and 2027 with an option to extend for a further year.
Pirelli has been F1’s sole tyre provider since 2011 but is still awaiting a decision from the FIA and F1 to see if that relationship will be extended.
“No news compared to the last time we spoke,” Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola told the press at the Italian Grand Prix.
“We presented our offer. Obviously, the tender is quite complicated and there are a lot of details that must be discussed with F1 and with the FIA, with the teams.
“It is not only for Formula 1, but also for the support series, like Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy. So it’s quite a complex package. And I hope and I’m still positive for that.”
Pirelli tyre technicians. 01.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, Practice Day. – www.xpbimages.com, EMail: [email protected] © Copyright: Coates / XPB Images
Pirelli’s bid to continue supplying F1 has been approved, but the company must now enter commercial negotiations with the sport before any decisions are made. No deadline has been set for these final negotiations to be concluded by.
Team bosses spoke highly of the Italian tyre manufacturer at the Italian GP and would welcome an extension of Pirelli’s F1 supply.
However, should the sport opt to switch to the likes of Bridgestone, AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost warned last week that it could already be too late for a new supplier.
“It’s never too late,” Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner replied on Friday. “Pirelli is a great company and I’m sure in their tender that they’ve offered generous terms to the promoter, to the teams.
“And you know, we’d love to… There’s many, many millions of reasons that we would love to continue with Pirelli. So, you know, they’re a great tyre company, they’ve given us a great service and hopefully there’s, as I say, several million reasons that that will continue.”
Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur added: “It’s not just about the millions of reasons. But more seriously, and technically, I think that it’s true that it’s quite challenging. Also, because we are speaking about one type of tyre for 2025 and probably another one for 2026.
“It means that you will have to develop two different tyres or construction or perhaps dimensions in the next two or three years. And as Mario said before, you have also doing the junior series and so it means that it’s a very, very large panel. I don’t know if it’s too late, it’s not my job, but it’s a challenge.”
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella sided with Vasseur, saying that a change of supplier would not be a challenge for teams, but rather one for any new supplier.
“Well, I agree on the million reasons obviously,” he said. “And in terms of timing, I would say that for us as teams it’s not a problem but seen from a tyre manufacturer point of view, it looks like it’s getting tight so hopefully we’ll see the decision soon.”
Keyword: ‘Many millions of reasons’ to continue with Pirelli, say F1 bosses