Pirelli to remain as official F1® tyre supplier until end of 2016

Pirelli will continue as Formula One racing’s official tyre supplier for three more years, it was announced on Thursday.

The Italian company, whose new supply deal runs from 2014 until the end of 2016, have also collaborated with Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, and the teams to implement changes to the sporting regulations regarding the testing of tyres.

From the start of 2014 one of the 12 days of official pre-season testing will be dedicated exclusively to wet tyre testing. Furthermore, each team must dedicate one of their eight days of in-season testing exclusively to the testing of tyres. This means that during each of the eight days of in-season testing, at least one team - and up to a maximum of two - will be concentrating on tyre testing along with Pirelli’s engineers.

As was previously the case, Pirelli will continue to determine the specification of the tyres and to manage all aspects of their development, in close consultation with the FIA and the teams.

The first pre-season test of 2014, a four-day session in Jerez, Spain, gets underway on January 28. So far, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and Caterham have confirmed their attendance at the test. Lotus are the only team to have announced that they will not be present with their new car.