Pirelli draws a positive assessment from its involvement in F1

On September 9, 10, and 11, Pirelli celebrated its first home Grand Prix since 1991. The Italian manufacturer, whose headquarters are just a few kilometers from Monza, took the opportunity to unveil to the public the first fruit of its involvement in Formula One by presenting a new tire in its range, the Pirelli P-Zero Silver, during an evening event attended by, among others, Marco Tronchetti Provera, CEO of Pirelli, Stefano Domenicali, director of Scuderia Ferrari, and Jenson Button, McLaren-Mercedes driver.

This new tire, intended for supercars, was developed using the same computerized modeling methods as those used in Formula One. Developed in just a few months—instead of the usual two-year development period—this tire will be available next spring and will be produced in Italy, in the town of Settimo Torinese, where the Italian manufacturer aims to be part of a cutting-edge technology and industrial hub, where the compounds used in Formula One are already developed, while the tires themselves are produced in the Turkish factory of Izmit.

The presentation of the P-Zero Silver was also an opportunity for Marco Tronchetti Provera to draw a first positive assessment of his company’s involvement in Formula One: « Driven by Formula One, we recorded nearly a 30% increase in Pirelli’s sales in the ‘premium’ range in the first quarter. In the first half of this year, the group’s market shares in the high-end segment rose from 60 to 65% in Europe, which represents the most important market » the CEO of Pirelli stated with satisfaction.

But the success is not only commercial. Present at the presentation of the P-Zero Silver, Stefano Domenicali wanted to congratulate the Italian manufacturer for its extraordinary work in Formula One. For his part, Provera feels a sense of accomplishment: The world of Formula One welcomed us with enthusiasm and we felt at ease. In a few months, we did what the teams asked us […] We managed to combine, and it is not the easiest thing, safety and spectacle.

This is indeed the originality of Pirelli’s involvement in Formula One, with the Italian manufacturer being more in a supplier-to-customer relationship, responding to specific specifications, rather than a partnership. This policy is partly dictated by the fact that Pirelli is the sole manufacturer, whereas Bridgestone—before finding itself alone—was engaged in direct competition with Michelin, where there was competition and interests specific to the manufacturers.

Pirelli has therefore ventured into Formula One with the directive to create high-performing tires that, unlike its competitors, were to be less durable. This philosophy is largely based on trust in the intelligence of the spectator—and potential consumer—as Alexandra Schieren, Pirelli’s press manager in the paddocks, confirmed to us: « The spectator knows how to differentiate between road and competition tires. Certainly, our predecessors could make tires that lasted the distance of a Grand Prix, but 300 km is still very little compared to a road tire in any case. »

Alexandra Schieren is keen to fight against a common misconception: « It is more difficult to make tires that last only 100km than tires that last tens of thousands of kilometers. » In fact, it is necessary to produce high-performance tires that degrade quickly while maintaining impeccable safety standards, a goal achieved according to Marco Tronchetti Provera: « We did what was asked of us: we had to provide tires that are fast, with a very solid structure, and that allow for more stops. […] Everyone realized that it was much simpler to build a tire that lasts the entire race than one that lasts less time. »

The Italian CEO, moreover, took the opportunity to boast: “One of the good things that should make us proud is the presence in F1 of many Italian companies: Ferrari, Brembo, Magneti Marelli, and Pirelli. It’s a sign that this country knows how to make excellent products.”