Will Bridgestone return to Formula 1 as a tyre manufacturer?

Will Bridgestone, as a tyre manufacturer, return to Formula 1? That is a question that is difficult to answer at the moment, but the real outlines of Bridgestone’s return are certainly there. In fact, the company has entered the tyre tender that will determine who will be the official tyre supplier for F1 until 2025.

Bridgestone last participated in F1 as a tyre manufacturer between 1997 and 2010, becoming the sole supplier from the 2007 season. This was after the other manufacturer Michelin decided to leave the world of the queen of motorsport after the 2006 season.

It was Michelin who, just a year earlier, in the 2005 season , took care of a scandal that still serves as a deterrent when two competitors, two tyre manufacturers, fight each other for a better position in Formula 1.

Since its departure from Formula 1, however, Bridgestone has continued its role as a tyre manufacturer in other international racing series. Its Firestone brand, for example, is the sole tyre supplier to the American IndyCar series.

And now the company is considering a return to the F1 world. The problem is that the current supplier, Pirelli, is already a long-standing manufacturer not only for F1 but also for the junior series. However, the contract runs until the end of 2024.

According to Motorsport, earlier this year the FIA opened a tender for an official contract to supply F1 tyres from 2025 to 2027, with an option to extend until 2028.

And from the looks of it, Bridgestone could also reportedly participate in the tender. Bidders had until 15 May to submit their applications.

Bridgestone as a rival to Pirelli?

16. the FIA will then announce the approved bidders on June, with the successful ones then moving on to the next stage of the process, which will involve negotiations with F1’s commercial rights holder.

“We are still thinking about what and how we can best support our motorsport activities in global categories, including F1. Of course, we are doing research on these matters,” said Eiichi Suzuki, Bridgestone’s planning manager, in an interview with Motorsport.

So who will be the tyre supplier for F1 from 2025 is a big question at the moment. It should be noted, however, that Pirelli already had a competitor in the tender relatively recently.

In the last tender for the years 2020 to 2023, another Japanese company, namely Hankook, competed for the role of tyre manufacturer.

F1, Motorsport