Bridgestone has launched Fleetcare, an integrated tyre and fleet management solution designed to fast forward business for fleets. 

An evolution of Bridgestone’s Total Tyre Care, Fleetcare combines Bridgestone’s best-in-class tyre range and tyre management solutions with fleet management solutions from Webfleet, Europe’s number one telematics solution for fleets, the company said in a statement. 

With Fleetcare, fleet owners can reduce their total cost of ownership thanks to a complete package from a single mobility partner, the release claimed. 

Mark Tejedor, Vice President Commercial Replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, said, “Cost-efficiency, convenience and sustainability are the three big priorities for fleets right now. When utilising many service providers, it is always a challenge to get the maximum effect on each of those priorities. We understand this is a key pain point for fleet owners and operators, which is why we’ve evolved Total Tyre Care into Fleetcare, an integrated solution for all tyre and fleet management needs. Through the launch of Fleetcare, we’re providing a unique and modular solution that addresses so many key business needs, from cost to compliance, from safety to sustainability. Fleetcare will help fast forward the businesses of our fleet customers thanks to the synergies between our proven fleet management and tyre management solutions. This launch is just the start, with more exciting innovations on the way.” 

Fleets demand maximum efficiency, convenience and sustainability as they enter the future of mobility, and Bridgestone’s portfolio of solutions is rapidly evolving to meet these demands and create new social and customer value, it said. 

Bridgestone said its new integrated tyre and fleet management solution, Fleetcare, provides a host of benefits to fleet customers, including total cost of ownership reduction, maximised customer satisfaction, time-saving, regulatory compliance and increased sustainability, safety and security. 

It is developed for managers of commercial fleets who are looking for a comprehensive and modular solution package that adds cost control and automation into their daily work, enabling better decision making. 

Available now, Fleetcare revolutionises the fleet market by offering both tyre and fleet management solutions with integrated and connected data and reporting available under one agreement and delivered by one single partner. Thanks to the use of combined tyre and vehicle data, Fleetcare provides smarter and more predictive maintenance solutions, resulting in optimised performance and increased convenience, the release pointed out. (TT)

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Bridgestone has expanded its road safety efforts in Scotland by hosting its inaugural dedicated tyre safety event in the region. The initiative, held at Betty’s Diner off Westfield Road in Motherwell, drew such a strong response from local motorists that additional visits north of the border are already being arranged.

Working alongside Auchinlea Tyres, the company inspected over 100 tyres during the event while offering drivers guidance on tyre safety and the value of routine checks and maintenance. The results underscored the need for such efforts, with 16 percent of tyres requiring urgent attention and a further 24 percent flagged for close monitoring.

To encourage awareness of basic tyre checking practices, ‘Become a Bridgestone Road Safety Hero’ bags were distributed, and the firm’s branded VW Buzz drew considerable interest when parked at the site. Organised by Chris Liddle, Key Account Manager for Consumer and Commercial Products, the event forms part of Bridgestone’s wider Become a Road Safety Hero campaign, which sees colleagues across the UK engaging with motorists to promote essential tyre safety messages.

Recent data reinforces the campaign’s urgency. TyreSafe estimates that 6.1 million tyres on UK roads are illegal or dangerously worn at any given time, often because tread depth falls below the 1.6 mm legal limit. Meanwhile, the Department for Transport’s Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: Final Results 2025 report showed that people killed or seriously injured in collisions involving illegal, defective or underinflated tyres rose from 169 in 2024 to 201 in 2025. For Bridgestone, events like the Scottish check transform safety messaging into practical advice, letting motorists have their tyres inspected while learning simple self-checks.

Liddle said, “This was a really important event for us because it was the first time we have taken our road safety outreach into Scotland in 2026 and the response was fantastic. We inspected 25 vehicles and 100 tyres during the event, giving us a great opportunity to speak directly to motorists about the importance of checking their tyres and making sure they are safe and properly maintained. The feedback we've received since our visit has been extremely positive, and we've already been asked if   we could hold similar events with Auchinlea Tyres. That's a great indication of how successful the day was. We're now looking at the possibility of taking the Road Safety Buzz to different locations across Scotland before the end of the year, working with Scottish dealers to help engage local communities. The Buzz certainly attracted plenty of attention. It's a real head-turner and a great way of starting conversations with people about tyre safety.”

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Maxion Wheels has reaffirmed its dedication to responsible business practices, operational excellence and environmental stewardship by strengthening a resilient and sustainable global supply chain. The company emphasises that collaboration with suppliers sharing its values is vital for delivering long-term value to customers, communities and stakeholders while maintaining high expectations for performance in quality, delivery, sustainability, innovation and ethical conduct. The 2025 Maxion Wheels Supplier Awards recognise exceptional partners whose contributions have advanced the business and reinforced its supply chain worldwide.

Among the honourees, Akzo Nobel Coatings Ltda of Brazil received the Supplier of the Year award for the Americas. A global leader in paints and coatings, AkzoNobel supports Maxion facilities in Brazil and Argentina with liquid and powder coating technologies. In 2025, it earned an ‘A’ rating in the annual Supplier Performance Evaluation for its commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability and supply reliability.

For Asia, JSW Steel Limited of India was named Supplier of the Year. Part of the O.P. Jindal Group, JSW Steel is one of India’s leading steel manufacturers, with an annual production capacity of 35 million tonnes across six plants. As a strategic partner for Maxion India, it supports product development, operational flexibility and business growth. Its senior leadership engagement and strong collaboration helped it meet all environmental, social and governance requirements, securing an ‘A’ rating.

In the EMEA region, FreiLacke, a brand of Emil Frei GmbH & Co KG, received Supplier of the Year honours. The family-owned German coatings specialist, based in the Black Forest, supplies powder and liquid coatings to several Maxion aluminium wheel plants and supports development for both aluminium and steel applications. FreiLacke achieved Supplier Performance Evaluation scores above 97 and met all quality, ESG and governance requirements, earning an ‘A’ rating.

The Green Wheel Award for 2025 went to Akzo Nobel Coatings CZ of the Czech Republic. Based in Opava, the company is part of the AkzoNobel group and serves as a key supplier to Maxion Wheels Ostrava, providing high-quality coating solutions for wheel manufacturing while demonstrating responsible business practices.

Akzo Nobel Coatings CZ was recognised for outstanding sustainability performance, achieving a Supplier Performance Evaluation sustainability score of 24 out of 25 and full compliance with Maxion’s ESG, governance and responsible sourcing requirements. Supported by AkzoNobel’s ambitious sustainability agenda and strong transparency, the company exemplifies leadership in environmental stewardship and sustainable value creation across the supply chain.

Pia Schütz, Vice President – Global Purchasing, Maxion Wheels, said, “At Maxion Wheels, we view our suppliers as strategic partners in our success. Their dedication to quality, innovation, sustainability and operational excellence enables us to better serve our customers and continuously improve our performance. These awards recognise organisations that have distinguished themselves through exceptional collaboration and a shared commitment to creating long-term value.”

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Hankook Tire has renewed its FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation, retaining the highest rating awarded under the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s environmental certification framework. The renewal follows a rigorous assessment by FIA Sustainability, with final approval securing the accreditation through July 2028. Hankook first earned the distinction in 2024 while serving as exclusive tyre supplier and official partner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

The FIA programme evaluates environmental management across motorsports and mobility, covering performance, energy reduction, logistics efficiency, waste optimisation and carbon neutrality initiatives. Hankook’s renewed status confirms that its motorsport environmental systems satisfy FIA standards. The company has also conducted life cycle assessments for Formula E tyres, spanning raw material procurement, manufacturing and transportation, while tracking carbon footprints throughout production.

Beyond racing, Hankook’s Geumsan Plant became Korea’s first tyre facility to obtain ISCC PLUS certification in 2021. The certification has since expanded to plants in Hungary, Daejeon and Jiaxing, China. The company has additionally secured a long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement for its Hungary Plant and installed solar systems for on-site use at Geumsan, Chongqing and Jiaxing.

Hankook plans to keep reviewing and strengthening ESG management and environmental capabilities across its unified global brand. The renewed accreditation reaffirms the company’s commitment to sustainable motorsport operations while advancing broader environmental goals throughout its international manufacturing network.

Willem Groenewald, FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility, Sustainability and Tourism, said, “Congratulations to Hankook on renewing its FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation. Earning our highest environmental standard once is an achievement; renewing it shows a commitment that runs deep. As a Global Partner of the FIA, Hankook shares our belief that motor sport can drive innovation from the track to the road, and this renewal is a fitting reflection of the partnership we are building together.”

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Pirelli is all set for Formula 1's newest venue, the Madring, which hosts its first Spanish capital Grand Prix next weekend. The tyre supplier has nominated the C2 as Hard, the C3 as Medium and the C4 as Soft for the 5.416-kilometre circuit, which blends a street section threading between exhibition district buildings with a permanent layout and boasts 22 corners, among them the 550-metre Monumental with its 24 percent banking.

Only 200 metres separate the start-finish line from Turn 1, and the opening sector is extremely fast. The middle part of the lap brings several medium and low-speed corners, including the banked Turn 12, while the closing stretch serves up 90-degree turns reminiscent of Baku.

Pirelli's involvement stretches back three years, when circuit designers first shared details of the intended layout. Simulation tools enabled engineers to trace the paths cars would take and compute the forces tyres would face. Once construction concluded, Pirelli personnel travelled to Madrid to gauge the asphalt's macro and micro roughness, sharpening their simulations and preparing a technical document distributed to teams ahead of the event.

In energy terms, the track sits among the five most taxing on the calendar, generating lateral forces on par with Barcelona and Silverstone. The Monumental produces the year's highest vertical load thanks to both its banking and its length, and it also tests grip, with drivers likely to choose differing approaches depending on whether they favour setting up an attack into the next corner.

Because the asphalt is unusually smooth and offers modest grip, it has been cleaned with high-pressure water jets to strip away dust and oily deposits typical of fresh surfaces, a practice already employed at circuits such as Singapore. Elevation also distinguishes the layout: Turn 7 marks the highest point at roughly 700 metres above sea level, reached via an 8 percent gradient and 10-metre climb from Turn 6, while Turn 2 is the lowest, sitting 26 metres below.

With no testing possible before the weekend, teams will only finalise their programmes and tyre strategies after first practice, possibly reserving Hard sets for Sunday if softer rubber degrades sharply. Last year brought ambient highs of 29°C, though the circuit's altitude makes severe heat improbable. Madrid's region previously staged nine Spanish Grands Prix at Jarama from 1968 to 1981, where Mario Andretti won twice and Lotus took four wins. Across 55 Spanish Grands Prix at five venues, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton each have six victories, while Ferrari leads constructors with 12.

The Pirelli Design podium cap by Denis Dekovic carries a white crown and the seven stars of Ursa Major under the peak and is on sale through Pirelli's e-commerce platform.

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