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Formula 1 News: Pirelli tires now FSC certified

Posted by AR1 staff

Pirelli is the first company to produce a complete range of FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council™) – certified tires for motorsport. Starting from this year, all the tires used in the FIA Formula One World Championship™ will be marked with the FSC logo.

This certifies that all the natural rubber within the tire complies with stringent environmental and social criteria required by the FSC, the world-leading non-governmental organization for sustainable forestry.

Pirelli tires in the paddock during the Bahrain GP at Bahrain International Circuit on Tuesday February 27, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Sutton / Sutton Images)
Pirelli tires in the paddock during the Bahrain GP at Bahrain International Circuit on Tuesday February 27, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Sutton / Sutton Images)

This certification, announced on October 10 last year when Pirelli renewed its agreement as the Global Tire Partner of Formula 1® until at least 2027, will apply to all the tires used on track, throughout the season, including pre-season testing. The FSC-certified tires have been introduced following an intense development program that began in 2022, which showed clear results in terms of both reliability and performance.

The first free practice sessions at the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024 today hosted the debut of these certified tires at a Grand Prix™ event. This marks a significant step, reflecting Pirelli’s commitment to delivering increasingly sustainable performance and solutions even within the special environment of motorsport, starting with its greatest technological and competitive expression, Formula 1®.

Pirelli has been confirmed as one of the global leaders in the fight against climate change for the sixth consecutive year with a place in the 2023 Climate A list from the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), an international non-profit organization that researches and promotes environmental information. Pirelli was also the first tire manufacturer to be awarded a three-star rating on the FIA’s Environmental Accreditation Program.

Together with the FIA and Formula 1®, the Italian firm has underlined its position in the front line of research and development into new technology, both on the technical and sporting side, to support the work that has already been done in reducing CO2 emissions throughout the entire life cycle of a Formula 1 tire. FSC certification joins a number of initiatives already put in place for motorsport by Pirelli in recent years:

  • all the tires that Pirelli brings to the track during a Grand Prix™ weekend – used in F1®, F2™, F3™ and F1 Academy™ – will be transformed into secondary raw materials after use, for multiple circular uses;
  • the electrical energy used to make F1®, F2™, F3™ and F1 Academy™ tires comes exclusively from 100% renewable certified sources;
  • the use of ‘virtual’ design technology for all tires not only considerably reduces development time, but above all the number of physical prototypes needed, cutting down on materials used;
  • the elimination of tire warmers in Formula 1 for full wet covers, pioneered in Monaco last year, reduces the use of electrical energy;
  • more streamlined logistics, with sea freight now the preferred method of transport over air freight, cuts down on logistics emissions.

Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli Executive Vice President Motorsport, Sustainability and Future Mobility:

“The debut of our FSC-certified tires in the world of motorsport represents a significant moment in Pirelli’s sustainability journey. In 2021 we were first to equip a road car with FSC-certified tires, and now we are proud to be the first do so in motorsport as well. Formula 1 is an extraordinary open-air laboratory for us. It allows us not only to design and test new technology as well as improve research and development processes for road going tires, but also to unite maximum performance, typical of the demanding motorsport environment, with commitment towards an increasingly sustainable world.”

Sara Mariani, FIA Sustainability and D&I Director:

“Pirelli’s implementation of FSC-certified tires in the FIA Formula One World Championship is a strong statement of the company’s commitment to sustainability – not just to its own targets but also in its alignment with the goals of the FIA’s Environmental Strategy, which seeks to reduce motorsport impact and reinforce the sport as a catalyst for sustainable innovation and technology. Those ambitions were fundamental to the Formula 1 tire supply tender launched last year by the FIA for 2025 and beyond and following its successful bid Pirelli has admirably already begun to innovate in pursuit of even greater sustainability with the introduction of FSC-certified tires in 2024.”

Ellen Jones, Formula 1 Head of ESG:

“Formula 1 is proud to collaborate with Pirelli on sustainability topics at every level, as the introduction of FSC-certified tires shows. This is an important and positive step forward, as well as another example of how our partners are demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices as we continue our mission towards Net Zero by 2030. We can’t wait to see the new FSC-certified tires in action this weekend in Bahrain and then throughout the rest of the season.”

Fabian Farkas, Forest Stewardship Council International Commercial Director:

“The FSC logo and certification are the reference standard for sustainable forest management. The automotive industry needs to react to alleviate the pressure that natural rubber production places on forest ecosystems and communities. We applaud Pirelli’s leadership in confronting the complex environmental and socio-economic challenges within the natural rubber value chain. This initiative shows that performance and sustainability can co-exist side by side, and the FSC is ready to support companies at a global level to follow this example.”

What is FSC certification? 

The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) – a non-profit organization governed by environmental, social, and economic perspectives equally – covers more than 150 million hectares of certified forests and is the global benchmark for sustainable forestry. FSC’s strict forest management standards require that forests are managed to preserve biological diversity, while benefitting local workers and communities in way that is economically beneficial for them. The robust FSC certification process ensures that all certified material is separated from non-certified material throughout the supply chain, from plantation to tire manufacturer.

Pirelli’s natural rubber supply chain 

FSC certification of the natural rubber from certified plantations used by Pirelli to make tires for the FIA Formula One World Championship is the latest step in the company’s long-running program to sustainably manage the natural rubber supply chain. This is achieved via a roadmap of best practice in the different countries of origin for natural rubber, in line with the principles and values set out in the Pirelli Sustainable Natural Rubber Policy from 2017. This document is the result of consultation with key stakeholders in the natural rubber value chain, including international NGOs, Pirelli’s main natural rubber suppliers, growers and sellers in the supply chain, automotive clients, and other global organizations.