14 March 2023
2023 is a commemorative year in which we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our motorsport activities. Our challenge in motorsports started with the participation in the first Japan Grand Prix in 1963. We expanded our activities through participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1973, and the first Formula One Grand Prix in Japan held at the Fuji Speedway in 1976, supporting safety and peace of mind from the ground up even in the extreme conditions of racing guided by our fundamental principal “tires carry life.” In the 1980s we launched POTENZA and BATTLAX, premium tire brands leveraging the technological capabilities cultivated through motorsports, evolving our business. We also participated in the European Formula 2 Championship, the Deutsche Tourwagen Masters (DTM) as well as the World Grand Prix (WGP) for motorcycles, building foundations to challenge the world. We then expanded our global motorsports activities in earnest around the same time as our “second foundation” with the merger of Bridgestone and Firestone in 1988. We returned to INDY500 in 1995 injecting Bridgestone technology and restoring the Firestone pride, and also took on the world’s top races through participation in Formula One from 1997 and MotoGP from 2002. We have participated in and stood on the podium in each of the Triple Crown of Motorsport (the world’s most prestigious motor races): the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix, INDY500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
For Bridgestone, global motorsports activities represent “a challenge for excellence.” Through our 60- year journey, we learned that motorsports activities condense all elements of corporate/business management, including technological capability, comprehensive operational capabilities, brand power and talent development across our value chain from the “produce and sell” of tires to their “use.” We believe that excellence in business management as a sustainable solutions company as set out in our vision also lies in motorsports. Taking this 60th anniversary as an opportunity, we will return to our origin as a tire manufacturer and restart our global journey for excellence, promoting sustainable global motorsports combining real and digital capabilities. Using sustainable global motorsports activities as an accelerator, วาทwe will accelerate our transformation to a sustainable solutions company. Including further reinforcing management that is capable of adapting to change with agility, we will also strive to realize agile and sustainable business/corporate management by enhancing sustainability, Bridgestone pride and passion, as well as the 4 Bridgestone DNAs: “Focus on quality,” “Respect for being on-site,” “Being attentive and supportive of customer problems,” and “Challenging spirit.”
I hope that through this anniversary occasion, our teammates develop a thorough understanding of what motorsports represent for Bridgestone. By promoting sustainable global motorsports as a global team and by striving for excellence, let’s share excitement, enjoy and accelerate our transformation to a sustainable solutions company.
Bridgestone announces two new activities in celebration of its 60th anniversary of its motorsport activities. The first is the establishment of Bridgestone eMotorsport Institute, which will offer eMotorsport lessons by professional racing drivers. The second is the launch of the POTENZA Circuit Challenge, PCC, an open-participation event that offers beginners the opportunity to take their first drive around the circuit. Through such initiatives that combine real and digital racing, Bridgestone aims to broadcast the appeal and enjoyment of motorsport and to broaden the base of motorsport fans.
