Prologue
—The Determination and Commitment Behind Bridgestone's Formula E Entry—

It has been 16 years since Bridgestone concluded its participation in F1, a campaign marked by numerous victories. During that time, the company has continued to supply tyres to a wide range of racing categories in Japan and around the world. Bridgestone has now announced that it will compete in the FIA Formula E World Championship as the sole tyre supplier starting with the 2026/27 season. Why did Bridgestone decide to enter this premier category, where the world’s fastest electric race car is crowned? Through the candid voices of the project’s key figures, we take an inside look at Bridgestone’s commitment to Formula E and the work taking place behind the scenes.

Competing at the Highest Level

Twenty-nine years ago, Bridgestone began its Formula 1 journey in the pinnacle of motorsport. In just its second season, the company made a major role in helping McLaren secure both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship. Over the years, Bridgestone continued its pursuit of the fastest and most competitive tyres under the sport’s most demanding conditions. Along the way, it overcame challenges ranging from fierce competition with rival manufacturers to repeated regulatory changes and its eventual role as the sole supplier to all teams. Bridgestone’s 14-year journey in Formula 1 came to a close at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ending with an extraordinary record of 175 victories from 242 races.

Sixteen years later, Bridgestone is returning to the pinnacle of world motorsport. The stage is the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (hereafter, Formula E), the world’s premier all-electric racing series. Beginning with the 2026/27 season, Bridgestone will serve as the championship’s sole tyre supplier.

“When our participation in Formula E was confirmed, my immediate thought was, ‘Let’s do this!’ Providing the best possible tyres as a supplier is, of course, a given. But our ultimate goal is much broader. We want our tyres to contribute to the success of the championship itself by bringing value not only to the teams that compete on them, but also to the fans who enjoy the racing.”

These are the words of Hiroshi Imai, Chief Product Officer and the executive leading Bridgestone’s Formula E project. Imai began developing Formula 1 tyres for Bridgestone in 2003 before joining McLaren in 2009. Rising to become the Head of Race Engineering at the legendary team, he returned to Bridgestone in 2025. Having experienced both the challenges rewards of competing at the highest level of motorsport from inside and outside the company, he brings a unique perspective to Bridgestone’s Formula E project.

“Looking back on my time in Formula 1, it was a succession of experiences that could never be replicated in everyday life. Every day, I worked in under immense pressure, constantly thinking about how to deliver the highest possible performance. Now, as part of the team supporting Formula E, I expect that we will once again experience the same level of responsibility and intensity.”

The 2026/27 season will feature the introduction of the new “GEN4” Formula E cars. Compared with the current “GEN3” generation, maximum power output will increase by 71%, while aerodynamic downforce—the force that presses the car against the road surface—will also increase significantly. As a result, tyre performance required from the tyres will be higher and more demanding than ever before. Even so, Imai is confident in Bridgestone’s technology and development capabilities.

“At the beginning of the project, the GEN4 car itself had not yet been completed, so we advanced tyre development primarily through simulation. However, from the very first test on-track test, we were able to achieve a high level of performance. That was a powerful reminder of the technology, expertise and experience that Bridgestone has built up over many years. There will always be the things that can only be learned through real racing, but the results so far have been very encouraging. Personally, I am extremely excited about our return to the highest level of motorsport.”

The 2026/27 Formula E season will begin in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 18 and 19 December 2026. What kind of performance will Bridgestone’s tyres deliver as the company returns to top-level world championship motorsport for the first time in 16 years? The key to that performance lies in the challenges embraced by the development team in creating Bridgestone’s two GEN4 tyres. In the next installment, we will go behind the scenes with the engineers through interviews with the developers.