Bridgestone, which has been absent from F1 for 15 years, passed the technical vetting undertaken by the FIA, and has been deemed qualified to be the F1 tyre supplier following the initial tender phase.
Phase 2 is the commercial side, as the supplier is also an official partner of the F1 organisation, paying a substantial fee into the pot that is eventually split with the teams. It's not just about the headline amount, but also how much track signage the deal involves and how many races receive title sponsorship, all the way down to details such as how many guest passes the company receives.
F1 has been able to run a bidding war, with the two companies obliged to up the ante and try to match or outdo their rival.
It won't just be about the best commercial deal, as F1 has had insight from its own chief technical officer, Pat Symonds.
The teams have no say in the matter other than airing their views through informal conversations they may have had with F1 boss Stefano Domenicali or the FIA.
The current tender process was launched on 20 March, and it covers the 2025, 2026 and 2027 seasons, with an option for 2028. F2 and F3 come as part of the deal.
Source: Autosport