Following a World Motor Sport Council meeting earlier today, the sport’s governing body announced which companies had their applications approved and will be responsible for the production of the chassis, battery and tyres of the Gen4 cars.
It means tyre supplier Bridgestone is set to return to world championship single-seater competition for the first time since its long-running association with Formula 1 came to an end in 2010.
The Japanese manufacturer had put in a recent bid to return to supplying tyres in F1 but lost out to Pirelli in the tender process and which will continue to supply the championship until at least 2027.
Instead, Bridgestone will replace Hankook as the sole tyre supplier to Formula E and produce two different types of tyre for the Gen4 machines, which will be used from the 2026-2027 season over a period of at least four years.
This includes a ‘baseline’ rubber which will be a grooved all-weather tyre that “must guarantee sufficient grip to ensure safe racing in light rain” and a second ‘typhoon’ rubber will be “mandatory in heavy rain”.
It signals the first time in nine seasons of racing that two different types of tyre will be available for Formula E teams and drivers at the same event.
Podium Advanced Technologies is set to provide the battery for the Gen4 machines, having previously been involved with Glickenhaus in the World Endurance Championship, and the front powertrain will be provided by Marelli.
While the Spark Racing Technologies group will continue to supply the chassis having done so for the three previous generation of Formula E car since the all-electric championship’s inception in 2014.
According to the FIA, the decision to pick these companies was made after “a thorough analysis of the submitted bids evaluated the technical specifications of each product as well as manufacturing capabilities and proposed on-event support, amongst many other aspects, and was accompanied by inspections of the respective candidates’ premises”.
Major changes for the Gen4 machine compared with the current Gen3 car, introduced for the 2021/22 season, will include a vast increase in the amount of power which will peak at 600kW – nearly double the rate currently used.
There will also be a greater focus placed on the aerodynamics of the car, with a high and low downforce configuration being created, while the width and weight of the Gen4 machine is set to increase by 100mm and 76kg respectively.
