IndyCar has announced Firestone will remain as the exclusive tyre to IndyCar in a deal which has been extended through 2025 with Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
The American brand enters its 20th consecutive season as the sole supplier to IndyCar after returning to the American single-seater series in 1999 after a hiatus away from the series.
Firestone and IndyCar have endured a long relationship which dates back as far as 1911 with Ray Harroun's Marmon Wasp entry to win the inaugural Indianapolis 500, the American manufacturer has since gone on support another further 69 victories at the Brickyard.
The Japanese parent company, Bridgestone, has also announced the construction of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Akron, Ohio, which will be dubbed as the 'Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC).
It will be located close to the Bridgestone Americas Technical Center and less than a mile from the Bridgestone Advanced Technology Workshop, where the current race tires are produced.
All of the race tyre manufacturing is set to move across to the new facility over the course of the next four years. Firestone also aims to be producing their first Firehawk tyres from the new site by the end of 2020.
"Champions have relied on Firestone tires for more than a century, and racing has always been the ideal proving ground for new technologies that help us evolve and advance our company’s passenger tire offerings," said Philip Dobbs, chief marketing officer, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations.
"As the NTT IndyCar Series continues gaining momentum, we are introducing new fans to the Firestone brand and strengthening our relationship with the drivers who use our durable, dependable Firestone tires."
IndyCar President Jay Frye added: "Firestone has long been a great INDYCAR partner and is making a huge investment to the NTT IndyCar Series with its new facility in Akron.
"This extension also reflects Firestone’s commitment to helping to shape INDYCAR’s paddock-wide, five-year plan."
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