Pirelli F1 tyres are FSC certified, demonstrating boosted sustainability

The FSC logo appears on the full range of Pirelli F1 tyres in 2024 (Photo: Pirelli)

Pirelli’s 2024 Formula 1 tyre range has become the first to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), with all the P Zero and Cinturato tyres carrying the FSC logo on the sidewall. The marking certifies that all the natural rubber used in the tyre complies with stringent environmental and social criteria required by the global non-governmental organisation for sustainable forestry. The new certification was announced on 10 October when Pirelli renewed its agreement as the Global Tyre Partner of Formula 1 until at least 2027. Pirelli said the new FSC certified tyres were introduced after an intense development programme that began in 2022. It adds that the tyres are improved in terms of reliability and performance. On average the tyres in the Pirelli F1 range contain natural rubber equating to 15 per cent of the tyre’s weight.

Pirelli has a variety of sustainability credentials. The Italian marque celebrated its sixth consecutive year on the 2023 Climate A list from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an international no-profit organisation that researches and promotes environmental information. Pirelli was also the first tyre manufacturer to be awarded a three-star rating on the FIA’s Environmental Accreditation Programme.

Pirelli says the FSC certification on its most prominently featured tyres supports its work to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire life cycle of a Formula 1 tyre. It has introduced several sustainability initiatives in its motorsport activities over the past few years. These include ensuring end of life tyres used at Grand Prix weekends – supplied to F1, F2, F3 and F1 Academy – will be transformed into secondary raw materials after use. The electrical energy used to manufacture these tyres also comes exclusively from  renewable certified sources. It also used virtual design technology to reduce development time and the need for physical prototypes. Pirelli and the FIA and Formula 1 eliminated tyre warmers for full wet covers, reducing further the use of electrical energy. Pirelli has also 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, said: “The debut of our FSC-certified tyres 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 tyres, 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 roadgoing tyres, but also to unite maximum performance, typical of the demanding motorsport environment, with commitment towards an increasingly sustainable world.”

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, leaves the garage during the Pre-Season Test at Bahrain International Circuit (Photo: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images)

Sara Mariani, FIA sustainability and D&I director, added: “Pirelli’s implementation of FSC-certified tyres 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 tyre 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 tyres in 2024.”

Ellen Jones, Formula 1 head of ESG, said: “Formula 1 is proud to collaborate with Pirelli on sustainability topics at every level, as the introduction of FSC-certified tyres 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 tyres in action this weekend in Bahrain and then throughout the rest of the season.”

Fabian Farkas, FSC international commercial director, said: “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.”

FSC certification is the global benchmark for sustainable forestry. The organisation’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 tyre manufacturer.

FSC certification of the natural rubber from certified plantations used by Pirelli to make tyres for the FIA Formula One World Championship is the latest step in the company’s long-running programme 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 organisations.

Pirelli tyres at the Pre-Season Test at Bahrain International Circuit (Photo: Steven Tee / LAT Images)