Recovered carbon black has become part of the materials strategy for Formula E’s fourth-generation tyres. Bridgestone says its POTENZA GEN4 tyres for the 2026/27 season use materials including carbon black derived from pyrolysis oil produced from end-of-life tyres and silica derived from rice husks. The company reports that recycled and renewable materials allocated to each tyre have reached 65%.
That figure refers to the combined allocation of recycled and renewable materials across the tyre; it should not be read as the recovered-carbon-black content alone. Bridgestone also says renewable energy is allocated to the heat and electricity used in manufacturing these tyres.
Why this matters to the carbon black market
Using tyre-derived feedstock in a racing application with demanding performance requirements suggests that circular materials are moving closer to real-world validation. Industrial acceptance, however, still depends on control of structure, surface area, dispersion, purity and batch-to-batch consistency.
Technical performance remains the deciding factor
GEN4 tyres must maintain grip, durability and adaptability across different track and weather conditions. Recycled inputs therefore create industrial value only when they are supported by technical data, traceability and testing in the final formulation.
Gohar Farayand editorial conclusion: The project is an important signal for tyre circularity, but carbon black purchasing decisions should continue to be based on specifications and application testing.
Image: AI-assisted editorial illustration; it does not depict the source’s actual event or facilities.
Source publication date: 2026-10-01
Primary source: www.bridgestone.com