Bridgestone will supply two tires as the sole tire supplier for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship: the POTENZA GEN4 and the POTENZA GEN4 for TYPHOON TIRE rain tire. The supply begins with the 2026/27 season, which is also the debut season for the 600 kW GEN4 race car. The company revealed both tires this week at the Bridgestone Formula E World Premiere in Rome, where GEN4 tires with Bridgestone’s new motorsport logo and design elements were shown publicly for the first time. The 2026/27 season is scheduled to start in December 2026 and run 21 races in various countries through July 2027.
Highlights
- Bridgestone will supply tires for all 21 races of the 2026/27 Formula E season, which runs from December 2026 through July 2027.
- According to Bridgestone, the GEN4 car produces 600 kW (815 bhp) of peak power and reaches 208 mph.
- Bridgestone reports that 65% of the materials allocated to every GEN4 tire are recycled or renewable.
- Bridgestone will be title sponsor for four events covering seven rounds, starting in Mexico City on January 16, 2027.
What Does the GEN4 Car Demand From Its Tires?
Bridgestone says the GEN4 race car accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 1.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 208 mph. It delivers 600 kW (815 bhp) of peak power with high torque and permanent active all-wheel drive. The company calls it the fastest and most powerful car in Formula E history and says that performance puts higher demands on tires than ever before.
Bridgestone says it has competed in motorsport for more than 60 years. It uses racing as a test environment, and the technology it develops there feeds into its consumer and commercial tires. The company expects Formula E to help it refine that technology and strengthen its product and manufacturing capabilities.
POTENZA GEN4 and the TYPHOON TIRE Rain Tire
Bridgestone developed two tire types for the GEN4 car:
- POTENZA GEN4: The company says this tire provides high grip to get the most out of the car. It is designed to handle diverse road and weather conditions worldwide and to hold its performance from the start of a race to the end.
- POTENZA GEN4 for TYPHOON TIRE: This is a newly developed rain tire. Bridgestone says it keeps the car stable in heavy rain and maintains grip when there is a lot of water on the road. “TYPHOON TIRE” is the FIA’s specification name for heavy-wet tires in Formula E races.
Recycled and Renewable Materials in the GEN4 Tires
Bridgestone reports that 65% of the materials allocated to every GEN4 tire are recycled or renewable. The figure includes resources certified under the ISCC PLUS scheme using a mass balance approach. Under that approach, certified and conventional raw materials are physically mixed during production, but their proportions are tracked separately.
- Raw materials: Carbon black comes from pyrolysis oil made from end-of-life tires, and silica comes from rice husks.
- Natural rubber: It comes from supply chains that Bridgestone has checked through its own due diligence. These supply chains comply with the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) Assurance System and are verified by a third party.
- Manufacturing energy: Bridgestone allocates 100% renewable energy to both the heat and the electricity used in production.
- Logistics: Bridgestone ships GEN4 tires with DHL using DHL’s GoGreen Plus solution.
Rome World Premiere
The premiere drew representatives from the FIA, Formula E, teams, drivers, global media and influencers. Yasuhiro Morita, Global CEO of Bridgestone Corporation, spoke about the company’s entry into the championship. Hiroshi Imai, Chief Product Officer, Global Motorsports, and Emilio Tiberio, WEST Chief Technology Officer, presented the tire technology behind the GEN4. In the afternoon, Bridgestone showed attendees the tire production site at its Technical Center Europe and the GEN4 tire development work done by its engineers and test drivers.
“Our return to the FIA World Championship is an exciting re-entry that embodies Bridgestone’s history of passion and innovation,” said Yasuhiro Morita, Global CEO and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation. “On the supreme stage of Formula E, we will further evolve the balance of performance and sustainability and pioneer a new future for mobility.”
“We are delighted to welcome Bridgestone to Formula E as our sole tire supplier for the 2026/27 Season and beyond,” said Jeff Dodds, CEO, Formula E. “The GEN4 car represents the pinnacle of sustainable motorsport design, and we look forward to working with Bridgestone as we continue to redefine electric racing and lead the race for progress both on and off the track.”
“The tires will play a key role in delivering the performance and efficiency expected from this new generation of Formula E cars,” said Marek Nawarecki, Senior Circuit Sport Director, FIA.
“In developing the POTENZA GEN4, we pushed the limits of our technology to fully unlock the overwhelming performance of the GEN4,” said Hiroshi Imai, Executive Officer, CPO, Global Motorsports, Bridgestone Corporation. “In particular, the newly introduced POTENZA GEN4 for TYPHOON TIRE represents a symbolic evolution for the GEN4 era, enabling drivers to confidently take on even wet conditions.”
Title Sponsorship for Four Race Events
Bridgestone will supply tires for every race of the 2026/27 Formula E season. It will also be title sponsor for the following events and run special activations at each:
| Round(s) | Date(s) | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Round 3 | January 16, 2027 | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Rounds 10 & 11 | May 8–9, 2027 | Berlin, Germany |
| Rounds 18 & 19 | July 10–11, 2027 | Shanghai, China |
| Rounds 20 & 21 (Final) | July 24–25, 2027 | Tokyo, Japan |
