Pirelli may not have invented the run-flat tyre – these have been around in various forms since the 1930s – but it is now 20 years since the Italian manufacturer brought its first run-flats to market. The road tyres that Pirelli launched in 2001 drew upon lessons learned from rallying, the setting where the tyre maker tried and tested this technology for the first time. Driving on tyres containing a reinforced structure enabled rally cars to keep moving in the event of a puncture, saving precious minutes during intense competition.