Pirelli isn't the only company bidding for the right to supply tyres in Formula One from 2020-2023 FIA president Jean Todt has confirmed. The Italian company is reportedly facing competition from Korean manufacturer Hankook for the contract.
Recently Michelin ruled themselves out of any potential bid citing the 13-inch rims requirement for just a single season in 2020 before F1 switches to 18-inch rims for 2021 and the requirement for high degredation tyres rather than a compound build entirely for performance.
Hankook already supplies tyres in DTM and the European F3 series and are now rumoured to have their sights set on motorsports crown jewel in Formula One.
“The ending of the tender was last night at midnight,” Todt is quoted by Motorsport.com.
“I don’t have the result yet of who has been applying for the tender.
"I know it’s more than one, that I know. I knew since a while now, before August, that Michelin was not going to compete for the tender.”
Pirelli has already confirmed their bid for the contract, Pirelli boss Mario Isola confirming their intention to continue in the sport having taken over from Bridgestone in 2011.
“I can confirm that we are interested in the tender. I can confirm that we sent the application. The technical document from the FIA is quite detailed, and we are happy to discuss it.
“As I’ve said in the past, our approach is to work together to find the best solution. They will probably have quite a lot of technical working groups, because it’s not just 18-inch tyres that are part of the package, and also the characteristics of the tyres need to be discussed.”
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