“Sustainability” is the word of the 10’s that will surely last well into the 20’s. But how far is the tyre industry on the path to contributing to a sustainable future? I touched upon the matter a little bit in the last issue, where I compared game-changing product development efforts in the tyre industry to British Tobacco starting to advertise against smoking. While the point there was that it’s not likely we’ll see major tyre manufacturers entering the passenger drone manufacturing industry or similar engagements, while at the same time advertising against tyre usage, a similar point can be made from a sustainability perspective.

Because the fact is that tyre production consumes a massive amount of energy, and the products are a source of massive pollution all over the world. The microparticles shed by tyres on the road enter the ecological systems everywhere and impact nature in a way we might not be able to undo. So, sustainability efforts in the tyre industry must therefore focus on product development as much as on energy sources.

Emission management

The latest trend in emissions management is including third party emissions in the calculation, meaning the emissions from the entire supply chain involved in the production must be connected to the products put out. That makes a lot of sense but does pose challenges for controlling the facts when engaged in global supply chains. It surely requires that a supplier is able to measure its emissions in a reliable and proven way. Naturally, it’s a measure to prevent “emission shopping,” where countries will buy emission quotas from each other, so they can pollute more while the selling countries can pollute less – it blows the mind that it was at all possible in the first place, so the actions taken now make a lot of sense, even if it is a challenge to manage. Because it doesn’t matter much that a manufacturer only uses green energy to power its production units in Europe, where local emission requirements are very strict, if it sources materials produced using fossil energy sources from other countries.

On top of that, globalisation has provided another unsustainable factor to the mix: transportation. Earlier, manufacturers would source as many materials as possible locally, while only crossing borders to source products that were available inside its own. These days, the market is global. If a material or component is slightly cheaper on the other side of the planet, it will be sourced from there to ensure the lowest possible cost structure. But the irony in terms of environmental impact is that this often results in materials being shipping across the globe and finished products being shipped back to where the materials came from. It’s a complex analysis to get the full picture of the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of manufacturing these days, but it’s very likely that transportation emissions weigh heavier on the negative scale than they ever did before. That’s why local sourcing is as important to large manufacturers as basing production on renewable energy consumption.

Impact during life-cycle

The other element in the equation is at least as important as the sustainability of how the product was put into the world: the environmental impact of the product itself during its life cycle, and especially of the disposal at end-of-life. 10 years ago, the first big step in reducing the environmental impact of tyre usage was made introducing the REACH regulation in the EU. It stipulates restricted chemicals and very low limit values for “substances of very high concern,” which is an ever growing list of chemicals that manufacturers must actively stay updated on. Naturally, the regulation didn’t aim at tyres specifically, but it did mean that in order to supply tyres to the EU markets, all tyre manufacturers had to change the softening oils used in their rubber compounds, and to date it still poses a strategical challenge to many manufacturers to split production into conforming and non-conforming lines, as the cost of managing two systems can weigh heavier than the added material cost of the clean oils. Some still separate the lines, as product performance requirements in some non-EU markets are still easier met using the softening oils not permitted in the EU. It’s a difficult balance for manufacturers when environmental regulations not only make the product more costly to produce, but also increases the difficulty of staying competitive in the market in terms of performance parameters.

‘Green’ in name

Naturally, many manufacturers have been quick to take on the challenge and coin it in their marketing communication as if they are now suddenly “green” tyre manufacturers, and countless tyre brands pop up that have the word “green” in the name. But in reality, in terms of environmental impact, the changes implemented in the industry so far are only baby steps. Tyres can easily be made more durable while still offering the same levels of comfort and safety as they do now, in fact they can be improved on all parameters by using more innovative pattern designs and rubber compounds. Why isn’t it done, then?

The obvious explanation is that product pricing would increase drastically, and consumers in most parts of the world are not willing or able to pay more for their tyres, even knowing that they would last a lot longer than the ones they have bought before. Producing longer lasting tyres would also drastically increase the effectiveness of global production lines, reducing the quantity of energy consuming factories in a way that will have a real global impact for the environment. But, as consumers are not likely to support this with their wallets, the only way to get there is through regulation and legislation. And then maybe tyre manufacturers will start developing products they can call green without being accused of marketing ruses.

Intelligent tyres

Though we probably won’t see them all moving into the aforementioned passenger drone segment, we might see them moving towards developing products that will display no or almost no wear during the life cycle, potentially outlasting the vehicle they are fitted on from birth. I have seen innovative designs for intelligent tyres that can adjust the pattern and hardness to adapt to any surface and weather condition guided by AI, and maybe we will get there some day. Until then, tyres need to live longer than they do today. Not just to reduce particle pollution during use, but also to reduce the burden of disposing of worn out tyres, which is a massive challenge all over the world. Here’s hoping we’ll see some of the large manufacturers bring a truly sustainable agenda to the table soon, including both full supply chain emissions and product environmental impact from cradle to grave.

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Hankook Tire concluded Round 2 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden, on 15 February in the Umeå region, where its Winter i*Pike SR10W tyre was put to the ultimate test. As the championship’s sole rally tyre supplier, Hankook equipped all competing crews with this dedicated winter tyre, which features specially engineered ice-rally stud pins. Designed to conquer the most severe icy environments, its asymmetric tread pattern works in tandem with the studs to provide exceptional grip, powerful braking and unwavering high-speed stability on frozen surfaces.

Rally Sweden, first held in 1950, is unique on the calendar as the only event contested entirely on snow and ice. Crews were challenged by 18 special stages covering around 300 kilometres, with competition intensified by speeds reaching up to 200 kmph and rapid temperature fluctuations. These punishing conditions demanded precise car control, reliable tyre traction and steadfast braking performance, making the choice of the Winter i*Pike SR10W critical for success.

Following a fierce contest, Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin claimed victory by a margin of 14.3 seconds, securing their second consecutive win in Sweden. Having also finished second in the season opener at Rallye Monte-Carlo, this result propelled the pairing to the top of the championship standings with 60 points.

The WRC now turns its attention to the formidable Safari Rally Kenya, scheduled for 12 to 15 March 2026 near Naivasha. This event is renowned as one of the most gruelling on the circuit, where crews must navigate extreme heat, mud from heavy rainfall and rapidly changing weather.

Hankook’s commitment to the sport extends beyond event supply. The company continues to refine its high-performance rally technology through intensive collaboration with the FIA and major automotive manufacturers, having completed over 2,000 kilometres of real-vehicle testing across eight countries. With its exclusive tyre supply agreement for all WRC classes covering the 2025 to 2027 seasons, Hankook is reinforcing its premium brand identity and solidifying its leadership in motorsport engineering.

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a leading Canadian innovator in sustainable scrap tyre recycling technology, has appointed Craft Capital Management, LLC as its strategic investment banking advisor. This partnership is designed to bolster Ecolomondo’s capital markets strategy, with a focus on financing initiatives and a planned uplisting to the NASDAQ. Securing this position is a key step for the company to obtain the necessary capital for its global expansion.

Eliot Sorella, Ecolomondo’s Executive Chairman, highlighted that Craft Capital’s successful history of providing capital solutions is well-aligned with the company's goal to scale up as a major supplier of recovered carbon black and tyre pyrolysis oil. These materials are produced using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process. As worldwide demand for circular and sustainable materials grows, this advisory engagement is seen as a vital move to advance the company's market position and support its next growth phase.

Craft Capital, a full-service brokerage firm with over a century of combined financial experience, offers customised investment banking services and connects clients to a broad network of family offices and institutional investors.

Sorella said, “Craft Capital’s proven track record in delivering capital solutions aligns strongly with our strategy to scale as a leading producer of recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (TDP). As global industries accelerate their transition towards circular and sustainable materials, this engagement is an important step in advancing our capital markets strategy and supporting our next phase of growth.”

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Continental is set to make a significant impact at the upcoming Tire Technology Expo in Hannover with a strong presence at the technical conference scheduled for 3 March 2026. The company will kick off the event with a major presentation centred on the evolution of tyre technologies designed to meet the demands of autonomous driving. Dr Andreas Topp, who leads Platform Development and Industrialisation for passenger car tyres at Continental, will illustrate how the vision of autonomous vehicles is transitioning into everyday reality and how the tyre manufacturer is proactively developing innovative solutions to support this shift.

In addition to the opening session, Continental experts will deliver three further presentations, each addressing critical areas of tyre science and environmental regulation. One of these will explore the use of recovered carbon black derived from end-of-life tyres as a filler material. Professor Jorge Lacayo-Pineda, a specialist in materials evaluation, will delve into the complexities of identifying this material within vulcanised rubber compounds. Recovered carbon black, primarily obtained through pyrolysis, represents a milestone as the first industrially scalable filler sourced from discarded tyres. It is not considered a direct substitute for conventional carbon black but rather a distinct category of filler due to its unique composition, which includes carbon residues and a specific thermal background. Professor Lacayo-Pineda will examine the technological and regulatory possibilities that arise from detecting this material in new tyre compounds, focusing on reliable identification techniques such as electron microscopy and molecular spectroscopy.

Another key presentation will broaden the conversation around tyre emissions. Dr Frank Schmerwitz, a senior test engineer specialising in tyre wear, will address the limitations of current discussions that predominantly focus on tyre and road wear particles. He will highlight additional pathways of mass loss that are not captured by conventional measurements. His talk will consider the release of nanoparticles, the persistence of wear residue on road surfaces and the chemical degradation of this material due to environmental factors like oxygen and ultraviolet light, aiming for a more complete scientific picture.

The final presentation will tackle the complexities of modern tyre development in the context of new regulatory frameworks. Dr Pavel Ignatyev, an expert in rubber friction and wear physics, will discuss how the introduction of standardised abrasion limits and measurement methods under the Euro 7 regulation is reshaping innovation in the industry. He will explain the various parameters influencing tyre wear and how they interact with these new requirements. Through simplified models, he intends to demonstrate the intricate nature of tyre wear and outline the collective challenges that remain for the industry, emphasising that a deep understanding of these dynamics is crucial for translating regulatory mandates into effective technological advancements.

Dr Topp said, “The future of self-driving vehicles has begun. We are developing tyre technologies and products that meet the unique technical requirements of these vehicles. This includes topics such as interaction with smart vehicle dynamic controls, optimised fleet operations and tailored solutions for specific use profiles.”

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The concluding day of 2026 F1 Pre-Season Testing at the Bahrain International Circuit saw Charles Leclerc set the overall fastest lap of the entire six-day programme. The Ferrari driver delivered a time of 1:31.992s on the C4 compound Pirelli tyres during the final hour of running, improving by eight-tenths of a second on the previous benchmark established by Kimi Antonelli. This performance placed him ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren, who recorded a 1:32.871s on the C3 tyre. Max Verstappen and George Russell followed, with times of 1:33.109s and 1:33.197s, respectively, both also set on the C3 compound. Notably, none surpassed Leclerc's own leading time on that particular compound, a 1:32.655s. Pierre Gasly rounded out the top times, utilising the softest C5 tyres to post a 1:33.421s.

The C5 compound saw limited use on the final day, employed only by Alpine and Williams for short-run simulations. Aston Martin, despite having the tyre available, opted not to run it and instead completed just six laps on C3s before their session was curtailed. In contrast, teams focused on different aspects of performance. Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvin Lindblad set the pace on the harder C1 and C2 compounds, respectively. The day was also notable for the absence of several drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Alex Albon, who did not participate in any track action.

Beyond outright speed, teams dedicated significant effort to long-distance evaluation. Gabriel Bortoleto completed 25 laps on the C2 compound for Audi, while Esteban Ocon undertook 24 laps on C1s for Haas. Ocon was also the sole driver to run intermediate tyres, completing four laps to assess front wing behaviour. Over the entire six-day test, a total of 41,366 kilometres were covered across all 11 teams, a distance exceeding the Earth's circumference. The C3 compound proved the most popular, accounting for 61 percent of all laps. In total, 591 sets of slick tyres were utilised throughout the pre-season, with 326 of those deployed in the final three days alone.

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, said, “The radical changes introduced to the cars have inevitably shifted the teams’ focus towards power units and aerodynamics rather than tyres over the last few days. The final stages of testing are usually dedicated to optimising the car-tyre package, but it is clear some teams haven’t reached that point yet. Generally speaking, track feedback has been consistent with our simulation expectations. Drivers were able to gain confidence with the entire Pirelli range through both performance trials and long runs, even using the C4 and C5 compounds which aren’t particularly suited to a circuit like Sakhir.

“Mechanical resistance appeared strong across all options, with no signs of graining or blistering. Degradation levels are almost certainly higher now than what we expect for the Bahrain race, when temperatures will be lower and cars more developed. A central theme this season will certainly be balancing temperatures between the axles, especially ahead of the first race in Melbourne. The lower loads of a street circuit might require more intensive tyre preparation or differentiated tyre blanket temperatures, particularly in qualifying. In any case, it will be interesting to discover in Australia how much teams have been ‘sandbagging’ their engine power to avoid showing their hand. We only have to wait a couple of weeks to see the true pecking order.”

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