Bridgestone plots its F1 return as Pirelli faces a 2029 challenge

Visits that are no coincidence

In recent weeks, several Bridgestone executives have been walking the paddock. According to Nextgen-Auto, citing sources close to the matter, the company is studying the feasibility of a return very seriously. RacingNews365 was the first to report these talks, held on the sidelines of the Singapore and United States Grands Prix.

The timing is telling. Pirelli, sole supplier since 2011, had its contract extended in 2023 to cover the 2025 to 2027 seasons. This year, the FIA took up an option for one more season, so the Italian firm is guaranteed to supply the grid until the end of 2028. The first realistic window for a change opens in 2029.

A stronger bid than last time

This would not be Bridgestone's first attempt. In the previous tender, it had already submitted a bid considered solid, which ultimately lost out to Pirelli. This time, the Japanese manufacturer is said to be preparing a more ambitious offer on the technical, financial and commercial fronts.

The process remains the same: the FIA launches the tender and picks a winner, then passes that choice to F1, which opens commercial and financial negotiations before the deal is finalised. According to Nextgen-Auto's sources, F1 has no appetite for a tyre war, seen as far too expensive. The winner will therefore be the sole supplier, just as today.

Hiroshi Imai, the man behind the comeback

One name keeps coming up: Hiroshi Imai. At Bridgestone from 1990 to 2008, he then joined McLaren, where he rose through the ranks to lead race engineering. In 2025 he returned to the Japanese firm to run its motorsport division, which was restructured for the occasion. He was part of the delegation spotted in Singapore and Austin.

His profile is reassuring: few people understand the needs of a top team as well as those of a tyre supplier. Some in the paddock point out that the technical bar set by F1 remains very high. Still, Bridgestone is not starting from scratch: it supplies IndyCar through its Firestone brand, competes in several GT championships and becomes Formula E's exclusive supplier this season, replacing Hankook, as the series launches its fourth-generation car.

A rich past, and possible rivals

Long-time fans will remember: Bridgestone arrived in F1 in 1997 and fought a fierce tyre war, first against Goodyear and then Michelin, until 2006. Sole supplier from 2007 to 2010, it then left the sport, making way for Pirelli.

It may not be alone in the running. Hankook could also try its luck, although its record in WRC and Formula E hardly works in its favour. Michelin's name is circulating too, even though the French company, currently involved in WEC, has previously denied any plan to return to F1.

Nothing is signed, and neither Bridgestone nor the FIA has confirmed an official bid. But with a senior delegation at the tracks, a former McLaren man in charge and a reportedly stronger offer, the Japanese firm is giving itself every chance. Pirelli now knows it will have to fight to keep its place.