After not supplying tyres to a single-seater world championship since departing Formula 1 in 2010, Bridgestone has successfully been accepted as Formula E’s tyre supplier for Gen4.
Hankook will continue to manufacture Formula E’s tyres until the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, which is when Gen3 will be replaced by Gen4 for the 2026/27 season (season 13).
Hankook’s tyres have received complaints from drivers for being too hard to generate significant heat quickly, with horrific tyre squeal having been an unwelcomed regular sound in season nine.
The decision to approve Bridgestone’s application was announced by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, following a meeting earlier today. As well as announcing who’ll supply the tyres for Formula E from season 13, it was also confirmed as to who’ll be the sport’s chassis and battery produces for Gen4.
Podium Advanced Technologies is expected to produce the Gen4 batteries, whilst Marelli will be responsible for the production of the front powertrain. As for the chassis, this will continue to be produced by the Spark Racing Technologies group. They’ve been responsible for all of Formula E’s chassis since the sport’s birth in 2014.
The FIA stated that their decision to offer the Formula E tethers to the respective companies was decided following “a thorough analysis of the submitted bids evaluated the technical specifications of each product as well as manufacturing capabilities and proposed on-event support, amongst many other aspects, and was accompanied by inspections of the respective candidates’ premises”.
Understandably, it’s Bridgestone who’ve captured most of the attention, especially as they’d put in a bid to be F1’s tyre supplier until at least 2027. The Japanese tyre manufacturer were unsuccessful, as Pirelli were offered a new deal.
For Formula E, Bridgestone will produce two tyre compounds, a ‘baseline’ rubber and a ‘typhoon’ rubber. The latter will be “mandatory in heavy rain”, with the ‘baseline’ rubber to be used the majority of the time. The ‘baseline’ rubber will be a grooved all-weather tyre that “must guarantee sufficient grip to ensure safe racing in light rain”.
It’ll mark the first time in Formula E’s history that two tyre compounds will be available, as only an all-weather rubber has been in operation since 2014.
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