Pirelli holds its ground. Bridgestone is watching. The 2029 tyre fight can wait.
Pirelli has played down the prospect of Bridgestone returning to Formula 1, as the next battle for the championship’s tyre contract draws closer. The Italian manufacturer’s current deal runs through 2028, after the FIA activated a one-year option in June 2026. That leaves time before the next tender, but not much room for either contender to ignore the technical demands ahead.
Bridgestone is reportedly preparing a fresh bid for the contract covering 2029 onwards, after losing out in the previous tender. Pirelli motorsport business chief Dario Marrafuschi says the company is focused on its work for the coming seasons, while the FIA will control the selection process. The tyre contest is on the horizon; for now, Pirelli says its attention remains on the track.
Bridgestone’s potential Formula 1 return faces a long runway
Bridgestone supplied Formula 1 from 1997 to 2010 and became the championship’s sole supplier in 2007. Pirelli took over in 2011, beginning a period of exclusive supply that has shaped how teams manage degradation, warm-up and race pace. A return would mark a significant change to the sport’s tyre arrangements, not simply a new name on the sidewall.
The Japanese manufacturer also challenged for the last contract cycle, covering 2025 to 2027. Its proposal reportedly received technical approval from the FIA, but Pirelli won after commercial terms were settled. That earlier result gives Bridgestone a clear lesson: performance matters, but a successful bid must also satisfy the business and logistical demands of F1 racing.
Pirelli leaves the next F1 tire supplier decision to the FIA
Asked whether rivals attending Grands Prix caused concern, Marrafuschi brushed aside the speculation. “Everyone is open to going and seeing any race,” he said, adding that Pirelli had no comment on the future while its current agreement still had two years to run. The company, he stressed, is concentrating on the work required for next season and the one after.
The FIA is expected to launch the tender around early 2027. Any decision will weigh technical performance and safety alongside logistics, sustainability and commercial terms agreed with Formula One Management. For a supplier, delivering thousands of consistent F1 tires across a global calendar is as demanding as designing compounds that give teams meaningful tire strategy choices.
What the 2029 tyre competition means for Formula 1
Marrafuschi also declined to say whether Pirelli would seek another extension beyond 2028. “We will look at the process,” he said, leaving the decision in the FIA’s hands. That measured response reflects the calendar: the tender is approaching, but no supplier can yet claim the next contract.
Bridgestone’s reported preparations put pressure on Pirelli to keep its technical case strong, particularly as Formula 1’s regulations and sustainability targets evolve. The Japanese firm last missed out despite a technically approved bid, so the next contest may turn on the balance between engineering, commercial reach and dependable delivery. Readers can follow the F1 News and broader LAS Motorsport coverage as the FIA process takes shape.
