Pirelli equips new McLaren W1 supercar 50% biobased and recycled tire fitments

In Italy, Pirelli has equipped the new McLaren W1 supercar with three bespoke tire fitments made from more than 50% bio-based and recycled materials: a figure certified by independent body Bureau Veritas. These new tires – P Zero R, P Zero Trofeo RS, and P Zero Winter 2 – have been specially developed by Pirelli in collaboration with McLaren and are offered in an exclusive specification for the new model, for which Pirelli is the sole tire supplier.

This latest project involved close cooperation between the Research & Development (R&D) teams at Pirelli and McLaren, from the earliest stages of development and testing. Initially working in a virtual environment – supported by state-of-the-art driving simulation technology – the engineers progressed to physical tests to assess tire performance in differing weather and surface conditions. Locations included the Nardò circuit in southern Italy, Idiada track in Spain, and Pirelli’s Sottozero Centre in Sweden – all ideal venues for exploiting the extreme high-performance of the W1.

The new tires developed for the McLaren W1 cover every aspect of use for the flagship supercar which features a hybrid powertrain capable of delivering up to 1,275PS and 1,340Nm through the rear wheels alone. Capable of astonishing acceleration of 0-300km/h in less than 12.7 seconds and a maximum speed electronically limited to 350km/h, it also has a Race mode that generates up to 1,000kg of downforce, demanding the very best in tire technology. The P Zero R, the first developed for a McLaren, is designed for daily driving; the P Zero Trofeo RS is a track-biased tire that delivers consistently high performance, while colder seasons are handled by the P Zero Winter 2. All three tires for the W1 will be produced at Pirelli’s plant in Settimo Torinese, Italy.

The bespoke P Zero tires are the very first supercar tires made with over 50% bio-based and recycled materials. This milestone is part of Pirelli’s industrial plan, which aims to launch the first tires containing 80% of these materials by 2030. A key step on this journey was the launch of the P Zero E in 2023: the first high-performance tire on the market to contain more than 55% bio-based and recycled materials and feature a triple “A” certification on the European tire label.

This tire also introduced the logo that now identifies all Pirelli products containing at least 50% sustainable materials.