Pirelli chief admits tyre war 'COMPLICATED' as Bridgestone push on

Pirelli

Pirelli chief admits tyre war 'COMPLICATED' as Bridgestone push on

Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola reveals how application process has changed

Shay Rogers

Sunday 25 June 2023 19:57

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Pirelli are set to be challenged for their F1 contract, as Bridgestone battles to become the sport's sole supplier for the first time in 13 years.

Tyres are under constant scrutiny currently, with drivers demanding a robust tyre that they are able to push on, without the rubber overheating - a task Pirelli has struggled with.

Japanese company Bridgestone have applied for the rights to supply tyres between the 2025 and 2027 seasons, with the option for another year.

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But tyres aren't the only part of the deal in F1, with sponsorship a key part of the deal too. Pirelli are currently title sponsors of both the Canadian and Italian Grands Prix - something which would be in doubt if suppliers were to change.

Isola: "Tender document a lot more complicated"

It appears that the process to apply for the right to supply tyres to F1 has been changed, making it a more time consuming process for those interested.

Speaking to Motorsport.com about the changes, Mario Isola revealed how much more work had to be put in behind the scenes for the paperwork to be done.

"What I can tell you is that the tender document was a lot more complicated than in the past. There are many sections and many elements added compared to the last one we applied for.

"There is a big part linked to sustainability, a big part linked to our ability to supply a product with certain characteristics, and a service with certain characteristics, a number of engineers. We had to work quite a lot to get all the papers needed for that.”

Isola was quick to point out that Pirelli offers a lot more than tyres, with the view that they consider themselves to be 'partners' of F1, more than suppliers.

"We always adapted our product to the different requests. On top of that, we have been very active on the promotion side and marketing side, supporting all the requests from the promoter and from the FIA.

"I believe that our role is the role of a partner more than a sponsor. And we would like to be like this," he said.

It could be a few months before a decision is made, with both technical and commercial aspects to be reviewed by F1 before moving forwards.