Each time you go to a tyre shop or a gas station to top up the tyre pressure in your vehicle’s tyres, what the attendant fills into the tyre is normal compressed air. But what exactly does compressed air contain? Compressed air is made up of 78% nitrogen, about 20-21% oxygen, and the balance one percent consists of CO2, and tiny concentrations of gases such as neon, argon and water vapour.

 When you specifically fill nitrogen gas into the vehicle's tyres, then you should have 100% dry nitrogen in your tyre. Dry nitrogen denotes that no        moisture content or any other gases are present in the tyre.

 Jay Chakraborty, who recently bought a second hand car, says, “After I bought my car, I changed the tyres and I’ve heard so many people talk about  how good nitrogen has been for them that I decided to get my new tyres filled with nitrogen air. The car feels a lot better on bumpy roads, and I don’t  have to worry about checking tyre pressure every week.”

Benefits of nitrogen Vs compressed air

Nitrogen as a gas is made up of big molecules, whereas oxygen molecules are much smaller in size compared to nitrogen molecules. When compressed air is put into a vehicle’s tyres, the moisture in the tyre seeps through the rubber over time and evaporates quicker as its molecules are smaller in size. But as nitrogen molecules are bigger in size, they do not permeate the tyres rubber so easily and hence will stay in the tyre for a longer duration. This means that your vehicle’s tyres will lose less pressure over time compared to regular compressed air filled tyres.

For example: An inactive vehicle, whose tyres are filled with normal compressed air will lose tyre pressure every week. But a 100% nitrogen-filled tyre will lose tyre pressure a lot slower and won’t need to be topped up as frequently. 

Titus Remedios, “I filled nitrogen in the new tyres that  I purchased for my Maruti Ecco in June 2019. That time the tyre pressure filled with nitrogen was 35Psi. I use the car once a week and after the lockdown, the car hadn’t been used in months. I recently went back in October 2020 to the place where I had filled the nitrogen in the car tyres and the tyre pressure after 14 months had only dropped to 22Psi. .

Another point to note, nitrogen filled tyres get a green or blue colour valve cap. This is a universal symbol that your vehicle's tyres are filled with nitrogen and not compressed air.

Is Nitrogen right for you?

Over-inflation and under inflation of tyres make a major difference on the race track. But on your normal city road does it make a huge difference? Under-inflated tyres normally lead to less mileage, uneven wear on the tyre treads and more tyre wear and tear overall. Over inflated tyres run the risk of burning out the contact patch on the tyre too quickly, while adding more bounce vs grip to a vehicle's stability. In hot climate conditions, your vehicle's tyre pressure can jump up tremendously. Highway running speeds coupled with a harsh sun beating down, can lead to a  tear in the tyre or in extreme conditions, a tyre bursting. This is where nitrogen-filled tyres shine the most. Due to their molecular build, nitrogen molecules stay at a constant temperature in a tyre. So even if the temperature outside decreases or increases, the nirotgen in the tyre will remain the same. That is why race cars and racing motorcycles only use 100% nitrogen in their tyres all the time.

Now we are all not professional racers, but we do commute on a daily basis and even go for the occasional weekend drive out of the city for some sightseeing and relaxation. Will filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyre help you? There are many who swear by nitrogen-filled tyres and an equal amount who feel that regular compressed air works just fine.

Personal tyre maintenance

If you are someone who keeps a check on the vehicles tyre pressure weekly and tops up the air when needed, you won’t need nitrogen filled into your vehicles tyre. However, if you are someone who tops air pressure once a month or once in two months, then filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres will help you reap the benefits of it. If you constantly make long highway trips and most of your time is spent behind the wheel, then filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres will be a boon.

Yash Ramrakhyani from Palghar runs a big tyre shop which sells Apollo, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and Yokohama tyres for every vehicle from a scooter to a heavy duty tempo. He says, “I get an average of 300 customers a year who want nitrogen filled in their vehicle’s tyres. There was a big local demand in the area for nitrogen-filled tyres, hence my father and me invested in the nitrogen unit. Tyres don't get hot, and nitrogen level doesn't go down so fast is what I have heard from customers as feedback, but the fact that people think nitrogen levels in the tyre doesn't go down is false. Even nitrogen-filled tyres have to be checked for tyre pressure once a month.

Nitrogen myths busted

Myth 1: Your vehicle's mileage will increase.

Truth: Your vehicle’s mileage depends on a lot of factors, tyres being just one small part of that equation. Having nitrogen filled tyres only gives you the benefit of having a most constant tyre pressure. However compressed air and nitrogen filled tyres both will loose pressure after a certain amount of time.

Myth 2: Your vehicle's comfort will be better, it will be soft on bumps.

Truth: Compressed air or nitrogen filled tyres will react the same way when on bumpy roads. It is the rubber compound and the type of tyres that you have that will make a difference in the ride or drive quality. As long as you maintain the right air pressure in your vehicle's tyres, you’ll be good.

Myth 3: You won’t have to fill up the tyre pressure as frequently.

Truth: Well this is true. Nitrogen-filled tyres will retain the pressure in your vehicle's tyre for a longer time duration compared to tyres filled with compressed air. However, even nitrogen-filled tyres loose pressure over time and you have to get the pressure checked and topped up from time to time.

Myth 4: Your vehicle's tyre will last longer

Truth: The tyre on your vehicle rely on you to make sure you maintain the recommended air pressure inorder for it to do its job properly. Under inflated and over inflated tyres will wear out faster when compared to tyres that have been properly maintained.

Myth 5: The rims on your vehicle won't rust

Truth: There is some amount of truth in this. As nitrogen-filled tyres contain less or no water vapour, the moisture content in the tyre is less. Less moisture equals to less rust on the inside of the wheel. But that doesn’t stop the rest of the wheel from rusting due to everyday washing and climate conditions.

Myth 6: There are few tyre shops / fuel pumps that offer nitrogen.

Truth: Compressed air is mostly nitrogen gas. So even if you have nitrogen-filled tyres, but you’re running low on tyre pressure and there’s no nitrogen filling station around, you can still fill normal compressed air. It will not have any major impact on your vehicle's tyres. Maintaining the right tyre pressure is key.

The catch

The nitrogen that you get filled in your vehicle's tyres is not a 100% or even 99% pure nitrogen. A brand new or even an old tyre once deflated has some amount of air inside it. It is the atmospheric air that's already there all around us. So unless you drain all the air in the tyre out and refill it nitrogen and drain the tyre again 2-3 times, you’ll still be running your vehicle's tyres with 90% nitrogen and not 100% nitrogen. But even then you’re not guaranteed that your vehicle's tyres will be filled with 100% pure nitrogen. There is no way to measure how much nitrogen is there in your vehicle’s tyre. Nitrogen will cost you, whereas compressed air is free at most petrol pumps or Rs.1-2 at a tyre shop. Nitrogen costs on the other hand vary from place to place and the kind of machine they have. The machines that are at the tyre shops or petrol pumps that offer nitrogen, do not deliver pure 100% nitrogen! Some machines will have a percentage rating of how much nitrogen it provides to the tyre and some have no percentage levels at all. Filling nitrogen in your vehicle's tyres can cost you anywhere from Rs.150 for four tyres to Rs.50 per tyre and can go all the way up to Rs.1,500 for a set of four tyres.

Conclusion

Have you ever noticed that vehicle manufactureres never recommend nitrogen in their manuals or at their service centers. The reason behind this is your vehicle's tyres are manufactured to run on normal compressed air. As long as you maintain the right tyre pressure in your vehicle’s tyre, you’ll be fine.

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Pirelli is all set for the Japanese Grand Prix with the three hardest compounds in its range – the C1 as the Hard, C2 as the Medium and C3 as the Soft – marking the first appearance of the C1 in race weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Suzuka’s legendary 5.8-kilometre figure-of-eight layout, with its eighteen demanding corners and rapid directional changes, places immense stress on tyres, making this selection essential.

Recent resurfacing work, which began ahead of the 2025 event and has since been substantially completed across the remaining two sectors, introduces a smooth but still dirty asphalt surface expected to offer low initial grip. Under these conditions, graining – particularly on the Soft compound – is a typical concern. Last year, such wear was limited to the front axle and faded as the track evolved. With a larger expanse of new asphalt this time, teams will need to closely monitor both graining and its effect on degradation throughout the weekend.

The behaviour of the hardest and softest compounds will be especially telling. If the C1 delivers solid grip and the C3 shows the consistency seen in Shanghai, all three tyre options could become viable for race strategies. Temperatures will also play a decisive role. With the race held a week earlier than last year, ambient conditions may stay near 15°C, keeping thermal degradation in check. Whether a one-stop strategy remains feasible will likely hinge on the severity of graining and its impact on performance, making qualifying preparation critical for properly heating the tyres.

The 2025 race saw a dominant one-stop approach, with most drivers starting on the Medium before switching to the Hard around lap 20 – a path taken by the entire podium finishers. As the 40th edition of the Japanese Grand Prix approaches, Suzuka continues to host the event except for four early editions held at Fuji. Michael Schumacher holds the record for most wins here with six, while McLaren leads constructors with nine victories.

Adding a distinctive local touch, the third podium cap crafted by Pirelli Design with designer Denis Dekovic draws inspiration from cherry blossoms in full bloom during this period. The cap is available through Pirelli’s online store.

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, is calling for a shift in driver mindset, moving beyond reliance on enforcement to foster a culture of proactive vehicle safety. This follows new research from Uswitch that exposes a disconnect in how motorists approach maintenance. While the threat of penalty points prompts some action, it falls short of establishing consistent safety habits. TyreSafe argues this ‘safety gap’ reveals the limitations of an enforcement-led strategy, suggesting true road safety depends on motivating drivers to perform checks to protect lives rather than merely avoid punishment.

The findings paint a complex picture. Although over 4.8 million penalty points were issued in 2025, with the vast majority linked to speeding, only a third of motorists conduct vehicle checks specifically to evade penalties. While a significant majority of drivers with existing points altered their behaviour after being penalised, only half believe penalty points enhance road safety. For TyreSafe, this highlights a clear challenge: consistent vehicle maintenance has not yet become an automatic, routine part of driving habits.

This gap between awareness and action is particularly critical for tyre safety, a ‘silent risk’. Unlike speeding, which is highly visible and rigorously enforced, tyre defects often go unnoticed until they contribute to a serious incident. The statistics are stark, with an estimated six million illegal tyres on UK roads. Each year, tyre defects cause over two million MOT failures and result in thousands of penalty points. Given that tyres are the vehicle’s only contact with the road, their neglected state represents a persistent and underestimated danger.

In response, TyreSafe advocates for education alongside enforcement, warning that relying on fear of fines fosters reactive compliance rather than a preventative mindset. To address this, TyreSafe urges road users to embrace the simple ACT protocol: regular checks of air pressure, condition and tread depth. By encouraging drivers to internalize these routine habits, TyreSafe believes it is possible to bridge the gap between knowing what is safe and consistently acting on it, preventing thousands of needless incidents caused by poorly maintained tyres.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Enforcement clearly has a role to play in improving driver behaviour, but it cannot be the only motivator. What this data highlights is a safety gap. If only a third of drivers are checking their vehicles to avoid penalty points, we need to ensure everyone is checking them for the right reason – to stay safe. Tyres are a hidden risk. Unlike speeding, they’re not always visible and often go unchecked until something goes wrong. But when tyres fail – whether through low tread, incorrect pressure or damage – the consequences can be immediate and severe. The reality is that many tyre-related incidents are entirely preventable. A few simple checks, carried out regularly, can make a life-saving difference. We need to move beyond a culture of compliance driven by enforcement and towards one where tyre safety is seen as a fundamental part of responsible driving.”

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Falken Motorsports kicked off its new season in commanding fashion, leveraging the performance of Falken racing tyres to secure a podium finish at the 58th ADAC Barbarossa Prize. This event, originally intended as the second round of the ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) but elevated to the season opener after a cancellation, saw Sven Müller and Tim Heinemann claim third place in the No. 44 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

After qualifying 10th despite not completing a perfect lap, the duo demonstrated the tyres’ full potential. Starting driver Müller engaged in fierce battles from the opening lap, and the pair steadily advanced in their teal-and-blue Falken Porsche through the field to reach the top five by mid-race. In the closing stages, Heinemann delivered decisive overtakes, coming within a second of second place on the final lap to seal an early-season podium.

For customer team Max Kruse Racing, the Audi R8 LMS GT3, running on alternative fuel, finished 23rd with Jan Jaap van Roon, Tom Coronel and Rudy van Buuren. The sister car, driven by Dominik and Marcel Fugel alongside Benjamin Leuchter, placed 30th, while both VW Golf GTI TCR entries retired early. Falken Motorsports now prepares for the 57th Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy on 11 April, the third NLS round, building towards the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (14–17 May).

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Celebrating more than a century in the industry, Galaxy has launched its 100+ years campaign, a tribute to its enduring legacy as a premier name in construction, earthmoving and material handling tyres. The company has launched a campaign video highlighting the brand’s longstanding record of reliability, a reputation built on strength and resilience that has made Galaxy a global leader ready for any challenge.

With a history of serving customers worldwide through specialised, application-driven tyres, the brand’s success has been driven by popular models such as the Hulk, Beefy Baby, HTSR, LDSR, Yardmaster Ultra, MFS 101 SDS and Port Max. Now, drawing upon decades of engineering know-how, Galaxy is poised to expand into the UTV and ATV market this year. This strategic move broadens its portfolio across new off-highway applications while staying true to its commitment to innovation and dependable performance.

Scheduled to run throughout 2026, the campaign reinforces Galaxy’s role as a proven, steadfast partner – equipped to handle the extra load, no matter the destination. Click here  to watch the campaign video.

Angelo Noronha, CEO, Yokohama-ATG, said, “It is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Galaxy as we celebrate over 100 years of excellence in the off-highway tire segment. The campaign showcases the brand’s success over this period, deeply rooted in customer centricity. We are grateful to our global customers, partners and stakeholders for their trust and continued support throughout this journey as the brand marches ahead to the next century.”

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