Formula E: Bridgestone Secures Tyre Supply Deal for GEN4 Car

Bridgestone has returned to the top single-seater competition in Formula E, and the FIA has revealed the winning bidders who will influence the development of the series' next generation of vehicles. After a significant World Motor Sport Council meeting today, the sport's governing body revealed the accepted bids, specifying the companies responsible for producing the chassis, battery, and tyres for the forthcoming Gen4 vehicles.

Bridgestone's return to championship single-seater racing is a notable event, as it marks their reentry into this field after ending their participation in Formula 1 in 2010. Despite losing the bid to Pirelli, the Japanese firm has now been chosen as the only tyre supplier for Formula E, a significant role in the sport. Bridgestone will replace Hankook and manufacture two unique categories of tyres for the Gen4 machines, scheduled to premiere in the 2026-2027 season and remain in use for a minimum of four years.

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The Formula E Tyre

The official Formula E tender presents two well-defined tyre specifications: "baseline" and "typhoon." As per the RFP, the baseline tyres are grooved, all-weather versions, which replicate the existing tyre setup in Formula E. According to the FIA regulations, these standard tyres must have adequate traction to guarantee the safety of racing in mild rainy weather.

Typhoon tyres, on the other hand, are made especially to be used in extremely rainy weather. The tender emphasises that the typhoon tyres' main performance objective is to provide safe driving in torrential rain.  Choosing between the standard or typhoon tyres will mostly depend on the assessment of what constitutes "heavy" or "light" rain.

“Motorsports is Bridgestone’s passion. Always has been, and always will be. I am delighted to be able to announce our return to an FIA World Championship this year as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our motorsports activities. Carrying on our 60-year legacy in motorsports, we are very excited about being the FIA’s sole tire supplier for Formula E from the 2026 -2027 season. Sharing the passion to race and passion to win, Bridgestone has empowered the best performance of cars, drivers and teams in racing conditions by repeatedly taking on the ultimate challenges while ensuring safety and peace of mind based on our fundamental principle tyres carry life,” said Shu Ishibashi, Global CEO and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation.

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Formula E: The GEN4 Car

In the GEN4 tender process, similar to GEN3, sustainability was prioritised as a crucial element of Formula E. Suppliers were mandated to provide a detailed account of the actions taken to improve the sustainability attributes of their products, decrease total emissions, and minimise resource usage by conducting a thorough life cycle evaluation. Suppliers were required to show a dedication to sustainability from the beginning. In addition, Formula E's commitment to achieving net zero includes compensating for all emissions that cannot be avoided.

GEN4 is positioned to emulate its predecessor as a race car that achieves net zero emissions through intentional design, while also demonstrating an enhanced dedication to pushing the limits of sustainability. The chassis will still be supplied by Spark Racing Technology, a reputable vendor since the beginning of Formula E. Significantly, Podium AT, a highly experienced Italian firm with a proven history of success in several motorsport endeavours, will assume the position of the sole supplier for FIA World Championship batteries for the first time.