Bridgestone Unveils 2026 Motorsports Strategy Focused on Innovation and Global Racing

Sports & Championship

Bridgestone Unveils 2026 Motorsports Strategy Focused on Innovation and Global Racing

Bridgestone Corporation has announced its 2026 motorsports activity plans, reaffirming its commitment to supporting racing at all levels—from elite global championships to grassroots competitions.

The company said its motorsports initiatives will continue to play a key role in driving innovation, enhancing safety and shaping the future of mobility, while strengthening its brand presence worldwide.

Dual-Brand Strategy Across Racing Segments

Bridgestone will deploy its flagship tire brands across different racing categories:

POTENZA for four-wheel racing competitions
BATTLAX for two-wheel racing events

The company emphasised its guiding philosophy that “tires carry life,” placing safety and performance at the centre of its motorsports operations.

Strong Presence in Top-Tier Championships

In 2026, Bridgestone will maintain its involvement in leading global racing series.

Its Bridgestone-branded tires will continue to power Japan’s premier racing championship, the SUPER GT, where teams using POTENZA tires have secured multiple titles in both GT500 and GT300 classes.

On the two-wheel side, BATTLAX-equipped teams have achieved continued success in the FIM Endurance World Championship, winning the championship multiple times, including recent consecutive titles.

Meanwhile, the Firestone brand will remain the exclusive tire supplier for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including the iconic Indianapolis 500.

Motorsports as a ‘Mobile Laboratory’

Bridgestone continues to leverage motorsports as a “mobile laboratory”, using race conditions to develop and refine tire technologies.

Insights gained from high-performance racing environments are applied to:

Consumer vehicle tires
Commercial tire solutions
Next-generation sustainable mobility technologies

This approach enables the company to translate track-tested innovation into real-world applications, delivering improved performance and safety for everyday drivers.

Focus on Sustainability and Innovation

The company reiterated its commitment to sustainability through its “Bridgestone E8 Commitment,” particularly the pillar of “Emotion,” which focuses on creating inspiring mobility experiences.

Commenting on the announcement, Hiroshi Imai highlighted the importance of teamwork and passion in motorsports.

“Motorsports is the ultimate team sport… We aim to bring joy to drivers, riders, teams and fans, while continuing to push the limits of tire performance,” he said.

Bridgestone added that its 2026 programme will also spotlight the work of its engineers and teams involved in tire design, materials development, production and motorsports operations, reflecting its “Genbutsu-Genba” philosophy of hands-on innovation.

Driving the Future of Motorsports Culture

With motorsports described as the origin of its innovation journey, Bridgestone said it will continue to embrace the “challenge to the extreme”, using racing as a platform to test boundaries and develop cutting-edge solutions.

Through its global motorsports activities, the company aims to build stronger connections with racing communities, support sustainable mobility, and deliver advanced tire technologies for the future.