Milan,
12
February
2026
|
23:58
Europe/Amsterdam

PIRELLI: THE LONG GT SEASON GETS UNDER WAY AT BATHURST. OVER 70 CHAMPIONSHIPS AND 400 RACES ACROSS FIVE CONTINENTS

  • From this year, the prestigious Carrera Cup North America joins the SRO-run championships and the DTM, whose partnership has been renewed until 2027

  • More than 200 P Longa technicians and engineers deployed at circuits worldwide

  • Braga: “With the opening round of the IGTC in Australia, we will already gain the first indications of what promises to be a demanding season, which began with the Winter Series in Europe”

The season began in January with the Winter Series in Spain and Portugal and will conclude only in November with the Macau Grand Prix. This is the timeframe of Pirelli’s 2026 commitment, as the company once again confirms itself as the tyre manufacturer most extensively involved in global motorsport, particularly in championships dedicated to Gran Turismo cars.

In total, the calendar comprises more than 400 races across over 70 non-Formula 1 championships, staged in Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Oceania.

This year’s commitment in the GT categories expands further with the addition of new championships, including the prestigious Carrera Cup North America. The season will reach some of its peaks at the 24 Hours of Spa and the Nürburgring, the eight DTM events, the Macau Grand Prix and the Suzuka 1000 Kilometres. These flagship rounds, distinguished by their prestige and the high number of entries, are complemented by all GT World Challenge championships in Europe, America, Asia and Australia, national and international GT4 series, the GT2 European Series, the Ferrari Challenge, the McLaren Trophy and the Trans Am Series.

The long and intense season, which will involve more than 200 technicians, engineers and support staff across five continents, gets under way at Bathurst with the 12 Hour race. Over the weekend of 12–15 February, 35 cars will take to the track — a record entry for the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

As usual, the Australian event stands out as one of the most demanding of the entire season, owing to the characteristics of the circuit and its abrasive surface, both particularly challenging for tyres.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager:

“Every season brings new challenges, and the one that has just begun is no exception: we have a new premier championship in North America alongside Porsche and a renewed commitment with the DTM. To tackle such a busy calendar, often across widely separated geographies, we can rely on experience that grows year by year and on a strong, highly motivated team — both centrally and through our local operations — which continues to improve rapidly in terms of personnel quality and the level of service delivered to teams.

We can also count on well-established collaborative relationships and partnerships with federations, promoters, teams, drivers and car manufacturers, built up over time, as well as on products that have demonstrated versatility and reliability on every circuit and in all conditions. This is also thanks to a solid development base for Balance of Performance systems, such as that of SRO, which ensures close and spectacular racing.”

TYRES FOR BATHURST
On the Australian track, as in all GT series supported by Pirelli, the protagonists will be the P Zero DHG slick tyres and, in the event of rain, the Cinturato WHA wet tyres. Both slick and wet compounds confirm last season’s product range, during which they demonstrated outstanding levels of reliability and adaptability in all conditions, on every circuit and across all race formats.

In particular, the P Zero DHG range — available in various sizes to suit all GT classes — features innovative materials that deliver greater consistency in car balance over long distances. Their structure, optimised in both profile and construction, ensures a more