Why Formula E needs a proper rain tyre

Racing in the rain is something that is to be expected from time to time. It can be a great equaliser and produce surprising results, but wet weather in Formula E just proves one area is needing a drastic change: the tyres.

Speaking to drivers around the paddock, it’s no secret that the all-weather tyre currently provided by Hankook is not up to standard for racing in wet conditions. Although the grid often bites their tongue, or tries to be diplomatic, there’s an awareness that it’s not suitable for the task at hand once the heavens open.

Across the past three double-headers in Monaco, Tokyo and Shanghai, one of the two races has been impacted by rain. The schedule for Sunday was adjusted this past weekend in China to accommodate the inclement weather, and qualifying in Tokyo was cancelled completely for ‘safety reasons’. In fact, every race weekend this season, with the exception of Jeddah, has featured some kind of precipitation.

Shakedown was axed for the first visit to the Homestead Miami Speedway, rain postponed the pre-season photocall in Sao Paulo and mixed conditions affected the second free practice session in Mexico at the start of the year.

The premise of using a compound of tyre that can do everything makes sense for the championship. Not only does it reinforce the ‘race track to road’ concept Formula E uses across its technology and messaging, but it’s also a big sustainability effort. Hauling sets of wet tyres around the world for a grid of 22 drivers will significantly add to the CO2 emissions for the championship that has claimed to be ‘net zero since day zero’.

An all-weather tyre is something that has been used since Michelin started supplying the championship from its inception in 2014. A lack of slick or wet tyres was part of its unique offering, but the tyre manufacturer and founding partner of the championship departed ahead of the Gen3 era. Hankook stepped in, and has been the exclusive supplier since the 2022-23 season.

Hankook’s time in Formula E is limited, as Bridgestone will be taking over for four seasons from the 2026-27 campaign. Autosport understands that the new supplier will be issuing a full wet tyre upon its arrival to the championship.

Hankook's current all-weather tyres will be replaced by Bridgestones in 2026

Photo by: Andreas Beil

In 2023, the FIA – Formula E’s governing body – released a tender for a tyre supplier across Gen4. Later that year it was confirmed that Bridgestone had won the bid, and marks its return to an FIA World Championship after a decade-and-a-half, after unsuccessfully attempting a Formula 1 comeback.

A requirement as part of this tender is that two different specifications needed to be supplied:  an all-weather grooved “baseline” tyre and a “typhoon” tyre, which would be mandatory in the cases of heavy rainfall.

There’s no shortage of drivers who have spoken about their dissatisfaction with the tyres, but most are also sympathetic towards Hankook and the position it is in.

“The tyre can't clear the water and the pace of all of us is pretty pedestrian” Dan Ticktum

Talking to his Instagram followers after the Shanghai weekend, Cupra Kiro’s driver Dan Ticktum referenced the lack of grip and terrible visibility: “We get on to the tricky and controversial topic of the tyres that we have, which obviously everyone has been hanging on about.

“It is a very difficult decision for the race director to allow the race to go ahead with all the sponsors, and the whole event is there and ready to go.

“However with the standing water that was on the track today, I mean the cars have no grip,” he added. “The tyre can't clear the water and the pace of all of us is pretty pedestrian. I hope it doesn't look too bad on TV, but also the visibility was shocking today.”

It’s clear that something needs to be done soon as discussion of two separate races being cancelled across two consecutive race weekends cannot be the norm. These drivers and teams deserve the respect of a tyre compound that lets them race in whatever the conditions.

Many Formula E drivers have spoken of the need for a better tyre in wet conditions

Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images