Pirelli's 2021 World Rally tire program set

CAGLIARI, Sardinia — Pirelli & C. S.p.A. has completed development work on the range of tires it will supply next year to competitors in the World Rally Championship (WRC) as the sport's exclusive tire supplier.

Pirelli unveiled its new range of WRC tires recently the day before the start of the 2020 Rally Italia Sardegna, with contracted drivers Andreas Mikkelsen and Petter Solberg performing shakedown runs in the Citroën C3 rally car Pirelli is using as part its development process.

Pirelli secured the three-year contract as the WRC tire supplier in December 2019, sidelining Group Michelin from competing in a sport for which it has been the primary tire supplier since 2010, when the FIA opted to allow open tire competition for the WRC.

Established in 1973, the WRC pits drivers in production-based cars racing on a variety of surfaces, from public roads to snow-packed forest tracks to rock-strewn mountain passes. Depending on the terrain/road type, the WRC tire supplier has to be able to supply a range of competition tires, covering slicks, wet weather, gravel and/or snow/ice tires, sometimes all for the same rally weekend.

There are 12 rallies scheduled for 2021 — nine in Europe and one each in Africa (Kenya), Asia (Japan) and South America (Chile) — starting Jan. 21-24 in Monaco and wrapping up Nov. 11-14 in Japan.

Pirelli has been present in rallying since 1973, claiming 25 world titles and equipping the winners of 181 events. Pirelli was sole supplier to the WRC from 2008 to 2010 and returned as a supplier in the 2013 through 2016 seasons.

Pirelli's contract with the FIA includes support for the newly established FIA Rally Star program, which will select four younger drivers (ages 17-26) competing at a national level to compete in the FIA Junior WRC.

The WRC contract complements Pirelli's status as the exclusive race tire supplier for the FIA's Formula 1, 2 and 3 single-seat/open-wheel championships and several F4 championships around the world as well as the GT World Challenge championships in Europe, Asia and North America.

Thus far in the 2020 season, more than 90 drivers in four WRC classes have scored points.