The WRC is ready to vary its management rubber from 2025 after Italian tyre producer Pirelli announced last Friday that it had chosen not to submit a bid in response to the FIA’s 2025-2027 tyre tender.
Pirelli received the earlier tender supplying tyres to all WRC classes from 2021-2024, returning to rallying’s high stage for the primary time since 2010.
Autosport understands Michelin, MRF and Hankook are within the working to safe the WRC tyre contract, starting from 2025.
Alongside its WRC commitments, Pirelli has equipped tyres to Method 1 since 2011 and is predicted to retain that contract after the FIA introduced an F1 tyre tender in April.
When requested by Autosport to elaborate on its name to not proceed in WRC, Pirelli boss Mario Isola revealed that value saving was not a part of the choice. He additionally reiterated that the corporate will proceed to develop merchandise for rallying.
“No, [cost saving was] probably not [part of the decision] as a result of now we have a group devoted to WRC and we imagine on this interval we bought what we needed when it comes to being part of the game within the high class,” mentioned Isola.
“We are going to proceed to place our sources in ERC and nationwide championships and the group that’s taking care of WRC and rally generally isn’t the identical group now we have for Method 1.
Grégoire Munster, Louis Louka, M-Sport Ford World Rally Crew Ford Fiesta Rally2
Picture by: M-Sport
“We are going to proceed to develop merchandise for rally as a result of that’s actually related for our expertise switch on snow, ice and gravel, so we wish to be concerned in rallying. We’re increasing our exercise on historic rallies and another championships.
“Clearly we can’t be in all places and now we have to make selections. I imagine this era was good to return again to WRC after fairly a protracted interval, as final the time we have been supplying WRC automobiles was 2010.
“After 10 years it was train to return again for this era to point out our model on the highest stage of WRC and now we wish to think about different methods.”
Pressed on whether or not there’s a finite time to be concerned in a motorsport championship, he replied: “Each championship is completely different. Method 1, I imagine you want quite a lot of time to generate this affiliation between the model and the championship in all probability as a result of additionally the spectators are completely different.
“In rally, there are a distinct segment of spectators which can be very passionate. In 4 years you possibly can inform them no matter you need mainly.
“In F1 it’s a completely different viewers and to place within the thoughts of the individuals that you’re provider and you might be there and that you simply develop the highest expertise, takes for much longer time.”