'Pirelli to quit Formula 1 as tyre supplier after new contract'
F1 News
Pirelli is reportedly assured of a new contract with Formula 1. F1 reportedly chose Pirelli at the expense of Bridgestone, but it would be the last contract for the Italian tyre manufacturer.
'New F1 deal for Pirelli'
Pirelli is said to have a new contract running from 2025 to 2027, with an option for another year in 2028. BBC Sport reports that. Bridgestone had been approved by the FIA as a potential supplier, but after commercial talks, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali is said to have opted for Pirelli.
The new deal is expected to be announced the day after the Qatar Grand Prix. Domenicali is said to have been under pressure to choose Bridgestone, which supplied tyres to F1 teams from 1998 to 2010. Financially, the two options would be similar. However, Domenicali is said to have preferred Pirelli because it was the "safe option".
The loads created by modern F1 cars are higher than ever and far greater than when Bridgestone was last active in the sport. This has everything to do with the increased downforce and weight of the cars.
'Pirelli to quit F1 after new contract'
There was little doubt that Bridgestone could deal with this, but the feeling was that a year was too tight to develop the tyres. Moreover, two different tyre specifications would be required in the first two years of the contract, due to a change in technical regulations for the 2026 season.
According to BBC, it would be the last F1 deal for Pirelli. It is possible Bridgestone would make its re-entry as a tyre supplier in 2028, but those talks would still be at an early stage.
Pirelli declined to comment on the news.