Pirelli says it will consider with "great interest" Formula 1's 2025 tyre tender following the formal launch this week by the FIA of the bidding process for the future supply contract.
Pirelli has been Formula 1's exclusive tyre supplier since 2011, and will have provided its products to teams for fourteen years when its current contract with the sport expires at the end of the 2024 season.
So far, there has been no mention of any other manufacturer entering the tender process, the results of which are expected to be announced by the FIA around mid-June.
Pirelli's expertise includes the development of a tyre and set of compounds for F1's 18-inch wheels that were introduced last season as part of Grand Prix racing's technical regulation overhaul.
The move also followed the general trend in the automotive industry for road cars to have low-profile tyres.
Formula 1's next tyre supply contract will span three seasons, running from 2025 to 2027. Given Pirelli's vast experience and heavy investment in F1, sidestepping the tender process would come as a big surprise and would force teams to rebuild a new working relationship with a new supplier.
The FIA says the targets and specifications of the future tyre supply contract remain similar to the current contract, although bidding suppliers will be required to demonstrate the increased environmental sustainability of their product throughout its life cycle.
"The framework described by the FIA is closely aligned to Pirelli’s motorsport strategy and so is of great interest, with the Italian company having been Global Tyre Partner to the sport for more than a decade, since 2011," Pirelli said, reacting to the launch of the tender process.
"A definitive decision about Pirelli’s participation in the selection process will naturally be taken after a detailed examination of the FIA’s document," the Italian company concluded.
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