Is Bridgestone returning to Formula One?

FIA to announce approved bidders on June 16

New regulations are set to shake up the landscape of Formula 1 in 2026. But before that, we might see another manufacturer return to the series.

Since 2011, Pirelli has been the exclusive tire supplier of Formula 1. Their contract was supposed to end in 2023, but FIA granted them a one-year extension due to the pandemic. Now that the deadline for the tender process has expired, a report from Autosport says Pirelli is not alone in the bid. Sources have suggested that Bridgestone has applied.

Bridgestone was last involved in F1 from 1997 to 2010. In the majority of those years, the Japanese manufacturer competed against the likes of Goodyear and Michelin in the “tire war” era. It was only in 2007 that Bridgestone became the sole tire supplier of F1.

Since then, Bridgestone remained in major Japanese motorsports series and is currently the supplier of the American IndyCar series under its Firestone brand. The company's work on the “guayule” tire, which is derived from sustainable natural rubber, may prove to be attractive as F1 moves towards sustainability.

Bridgestone would neither confirm nor deny this matter, and we may have to wait until FIA makes the call on the approved bidders on June 16 to get more insight.

Will a new “tire war” further improve the spectacle of Formula One? Or is it better off with the existing one-supplier rule? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Autosport