Pirelli Motorsport are celebrating their four-hundredth Grand Prix this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, having debuted in Formula 1 in the first ever race in the championship back in 1950.
The Pirelli-shod Giuseppe Farina took his Alfa Romeo to victory that day at Silverstone, with a replica Stella Bianca tyre of that race on show at the museum at the British circuit.
Since then, Pirelli have secured two hundred and forty race victories, two hundred and forty-three pole positions, two hundred and forty-seven fastest laps and seven hundred and twenty-seven podiums in Formula 1, all impressive numbers.
They raced in Formula 1 initially between 1950 and 1958, and then again in two spells between 1981 and 1986 and then 1989 and 1991. They returned to the sport as Formula 1’s sole tyre supplier since 2011 and currently hold a contract to remain there until the end of 2024, which will be the third year of eighteen-inch tyres that will be introduced to Formula 1 next year.
“At Pirelli, we’re very proud of our history, so it’s fantastic to celebrate 400 Grands Prix,” said Mario Isola, the Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli. “We commemorate this landmark on the verge of a new era: at the start of the final season of 13-inch tyres, before we adopt 18-inch tyres in F1 along with wide-ranging new technical regulations from next year onwards.
“So as we look back at the past, we’re excited to be writing the next chapter in our story as well.”
