Michelin Unveils 2026 Hypercar/GTP Tire

Michelin has revealed its new range of top class tires that will be used in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting in 2026.

The new range, which consists of a Soft, Medium and Hard compound, has been dubbed ‘Pilot Sport Endurance 2026’ and was revealed in the run up to this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the French marque will act as the exclusive supplier for all 21 cars entered into the Hypercar category.

That forms part of a supply deal between Michelin and WEC that was extended until at least 2029 late last year.

This new range of tires, which will also see use in the WeatherTech Championship’s GTP category, was originally slated to have debuted this year.

However, Michelin announced last summer that a lack of available testing opportunities resulted in a year’s delay in the introduction.

Testing has since taken place at a variety of circuits on multiple continents, including the likes of the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, Sebring International Raceway in the U.S. and Circuit Paul Ricard in France.

The testing phase of development for the Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 is set to be concluded with a test at Watkins Glen International on June 23, a day after the upcoming Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

This will be followed by a design freeze in July and an industrialization phase before production of the new range kicks off in August at the Cataroux plant in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

The first batch of tires will be made available to teams at the IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway at the end of the year, with WEC teams to first get their hands on the tire in November for testing purposes as well.

The full allocation will then be made available for the start of the 2026 season, with January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona set to be the new range’s competitive debut.

Michelin has stated that it aims for these tires to be used for three seasons before a new range will be introduced in 2029.

A focus on improved sustainability has been a key phase in the design process for the new tires, with Michelin incorporating 50 percent renewable and recycled materials into the production process.

Additionally, the French firm has set out to improve tire wear, consistency as well as the effectiveness of the warm up process as tire warmers continue to be outlawed in both the WEC and WeatherTech Championship.

Estimates provided by Michelin place the gain on three to five seconds on the first lap compared to the tire specification that is currently in use.

Furthermore, while a new range of wet tires is under development, Michelin has indicated that the currently available stock of wet tires will be used before any new tires are introduced.

Of note, a standout feature of the Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 is the distinctive pattern fitted to the surface of each of the compounds.

This pattern is a reference to the Vision concept tire that the brand revealed a number of years ago, further signaling its push for the use of sustainable materials in its products.

“It would be tempting, faced with the technical and sporting success we are enjoying with our current Endurance range, to choose stability,” said Matthieu Bonardel, Michelin Motorsport director.

“For several seasons the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance tires have shown exceptional consistency, longevity praised by the teams, and a versatility that has made the difference on every track in the world.

“Since the arrival of Hypercar prototypes, the cars have gained a second per lap each year by optimizing tire usage.

“So why redevelop a new generation of tires? Because it is precisely when everything works well that you have to dare to go further!

“At Michelin, innovation is not a reaction to failure. It is a deliberate, forward-looking, visionary approach. That philosophy has guided the company for more than a century—on our road ranges as well as in racing.

“Today more than ever, our capacity to innovate serves one imperative: sustainability. Motorsport, a laboratory for performance and technological development, now also accelerates sustainable technologies.

“At a time when our vehicles need durable equipment, racing lets us go faster and further in transferring technology from track to street.

“That is why we have launched a complete overhaul of our Endurance range with a clear objective: to incorporate 50 percent renewable and recycled materials while increasing overall performance.

“Meeting this challenge required us to rethink our materials, processes and design rules from the ground up.

“It is not an incremental improvement; it is a controlled reinvention, driven by our engineers, backed by our most advanced numerical simulation and predictive-analysis tools, and validated by real-world testing.

“All of that demands courage, rigor and constant investment. But that is how we understand our role as leader.

“Our responsibility is also to move the entire sector forward, to inspire the industry and to prove that technological excellence and environmental responsibility can advance hand in hand.”