Pirelli has confirmed that it will walk away from the top flight of the WRC once its control tyre supplier contract expires at the end of next season.
The Italian manufacturer won the deal for World Rally Cars and their Rally1 successor to run on its P Zero rubber at dry rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship as part of the three-year arrangement.
It also supplied Scorpion KX shoes for gravel rounds and the 384 tungsten-tipped Ice Sottozero tyres for Rally Sweden – the only snow round on the calendar.
Pirelli also serviced teams in the main World Rally Championship support series – WRC2 – as well as the competition’s feeder series, the one-make FIA Junior World Rally Championship.
The Milanese-based outfit took over from Michelin which, incidentally, is one of three brands understood to be in the running to win the lucrative contract.
In a statement, it said: “Pirelli has not submitted its candidature to supply the FIA World Rally Championship from 2025-2027.
“As a result, the Italian firm will conclude its partnership as a single supplier to the World Rally Championship in 2024, having achieved the targets set three years ago at the start of the current contact.
“Pirelli – present in more than 350 motorsport championships around the world – remains committed to rallying, and will continue its participation in all the other rally competitions in which it is currently involved.
“These include the FIA European Rally Championship, won this year by Hayden Paddon in a Pirelli-equipped Hyundai. The European Rally Championship is organised by the same promoter as the World Rally Championship, with a number of different tire manufacturers taking part.”
Michelin is believed to face competition to win the rights from Hankook and MRF, brands that have experience of competing in rallying at various levels, including the FIA European Rally Championship.
Back in July, the FIA invited tyre brands to register their interest in becoming the control tyre supplier. The successful bid will take effect from the start of the 2025 season and run for three terms until the end of 2027.
Pirelli’s replacement will be revealed at the next World Motor Sport Council meeting on October 19.
Discussion about this post