Bridgestone will supply its new POTENZA GEN4 tyres for Formula E’s fastest and most powerful generation of race cars yet, beginning with the 2026/27 season.
There are few tougher places to test a tyre than motorsport. Now imagine asking one to deal with 815bhp, all-wheel drive, 0-100km/h in 1.8 seconds, changing weather and street circuits lined with concrete walls.
That is the challenge facing Bridgestone as it becomes the sole tyre supplier for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from the 2026/27 season, marking the company’s return to an FIA World Championship.
Formula E’s new GEN4 car represents the championship’s biggest performance leap yet. Peak power rises to 600kW, or 815bhp, while permanent active all-wheel drive helps the car reach 100km/h in just 1.8 seconds. Top speed stands at 335km/h, making it the fastest and most powerful Formula E car yet.
Keeping all of that attached to the road will be Bridgestone’s new POTENZA GEN4 tyre. Designed specifically for the new car, it has been engineered to deliver high levels of grip while remaining adaptable to the different circuits and weather conditions encountered across Formula E’s global calendar.
There is also a dedicated POTENZA GEN4 for TYPHOON TYRE, developed for heavy rain and standing water.
“We pushed the limits of our technology to fully unlock the overwhelming performance of GEN4,” said Hiroshi Imai, Bridgestone’s Executive Officer, CPO, Global Motorsports.
For Bridgestone, the return is about more than putting its name on the sidewall.
The company has long described motorsport as a “mobile laboratory”, using the extreme demands of racing to develop technologies that can eventually influence road-going tyres.
Sustainability is another major part of the GEN4 programme. Bridgestone says 65 per cent of the materials allocated to each tyre are recycled or renewable, including carbon black derived from end-of-life tyres and silica produced from rice husks. Renewable energy is also allocated for the heat and electricity used during production.
“Our return to the FIA World Championship is an exciting re-entry that embodies Bridgestone’s history of passion and innovation,” said Yasuhiro Morita, Global CEO and Representative Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation.
“On the supreme stage of Formula E, we will further evolve the balance of performance and sustainability and pioneer a new future for mobility.”
The 2026/27 Formula E season is scheduled to begin in December 2026 and run for 21 races through July 2027.
Bridgestone will supply tyres throughout the championship and serve as title sponsor for four events across Mexico City, Berlin, Shanghai and the season finale in Tokyo.
Read more content at Burnpavement, or check out our latest videos on YouTube and on TikTok!
