Pirelli will stay on as F1 tire supplier until end of 2016

Pirelli will be Formula One racing’s official tire supplier for three more years.

The Italian company has also collaborated with Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, and the teams to implement changes to the sporting regulations regarding the testing of tires.

At the start of 2014, one of the 12 days of official pre-season testing will be dedicated exclusively to wet tire testing. Also, each team must dedicate one of their eight days of in-season testing exclusively to the testing of tires. This means that during each of the eight days of in-season testing, at least one team - and up to a maximum of two - will be concentrating on tire testing along with Pirelli’s engineers.

Like in the past season, Pirelli will continue to determine the specification of the tires and to manage all aspects of their development, in close consultation with the FIA and the teams.

The first pre-season test of 2014, a four-day session in Jerez, Spain, gets underway on January 28. So far, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and Caterham have confirmed their attendance. Lotus is the only team to have announced that they will not be present with their new car.