Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsPirelli

Pirelli retains tyre supply deal until 2019

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Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed Pirelli will remain as Formula One's sole tyre supplier until 2019.

Pirelli and Michelin were both approved by the FIA following the latest tyre tender to be the supplier for three years from 2017, with Ecclestone then having to agree commercial terms with one of the manufacturers. Ahead of the Russian Grand Prix, Ecclestone confirmed Pirelli has retained its contract having been the supplier since 2011.

Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery told F1i on the Sochi grid he had been informed of the decision on Saturday, with the Italian manufacturer receiving assurances it will be allowed to test ahead of planned new regulations in 2017. Hembery had previously threatened Pirelli could quit F1 if it could not test sufficiently.

The 2017 regulations are set to see wider tyres as the sport seeks to increase mechanical grip and increase lap times by up to five seconds with more aggressive cars.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.