New MICHELIN Pilot Sport Endurance 2026: the new tyre for WEC and IMSA competition

When everything seems to be working in motorsport, the easiest thing is to leave things as they are. But that is not how Michelin thinks. Under the premise of “innovating even when everything is going well”, the brand of the Bibendum has presented its new generation of endurance tyres: the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance 2026, a proposal that not only raises the bar for performance, but embodies a paradigm shift towards more sustainable mobility.

In the words of Matthieu Bonardel, Director of Michelin Motorsport, this new range responds to a triple challenge: performance, durability and sustainability. And it does so without giving up any of these pillars. The new 2026 range incorporates 50% sustainable materials (renewable and recycled), doubling the environmental commitment compared with previous generations and marking a milestone in the segment.

Michelin’s strategy goes far beyond the track. What is tested in championships such as the FIA WEC or the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is only a preview of what will reach road tyres. In this way, competition is consolidated as a catalyst for the shift towards a 100% sustainable tyre by 2050.

Philippe Tramond, Technical Director of Michelin Motorsport, details a creation process in which finite element simulation, machine learning and the use of digital twins make it possible to predict how the compounds behave in extreme conditions, even before touching the asphalt.

Thanks to this digitalisation of development, Michelin has been able to reformulate all its compounds, adapting mixing techniques to the new raw materials. An evolution as profound as it is necessary, since the physical properties of these new materials do not allow a simple substitution. But the definitive test bench remains the track.

The test day held on 14 May at Le Castellet (Paul Ricard circuit) was key in the final phase of development. With the Medium compound as the star, Michelin put three different prototypes to the test to evaluate initial warm-up, grip and performance stability as the tyres wear.

The test brought together the main manufacturers competing in endurance racing, all collaborating in a programme that refines every last detail. This session is part of a schedule that will continue at the end of June at Watkins Glen, where the Hard compound will be evaluated. It will be the last step before the final design freeze and the start of production in August.

In addition, the circuit has also served to test future wet-weather tyres, whose new generation will also be unveiled in 2026.

Cataroux: where excellence is born

As it could not be otherwise, all the tyres used in these competitions are manufactured at the Cataroux plant in Clermont-Ferrand, a true centre of technological and industrial excellence. From there, Michelin not only drives the evolution of motorsport, but leads a profound transformation towards a more sustainable production model.

Sustainability does not end at tyre design. Since early 2025, Michelin has been working with the company Enviro on a revolutionary project to recycle competition tyres through pyrolysis. This process makes it possible to recover raw materials such as carbon black and oils, which can be reused in the manufacture of new products, including other tyres. All of this with an environmental balance far superior to the current incineration system.

One step closer to the 100% sustainable tyre

Michelin has set out its roadmap clearly: to reach 40% renewable and recycled materials by 2030 across all its production, with the ultimate goal of a 100% sustainable tyre by 2050. But this challenge is not pursued at the expense of performance. Every step is backed by a thorough Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which guarantees that environmental improvements do not compromise other aspects such as safety, durability or dynamic behaviour.

Key schedule of the new Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 range:

• June 2025: Final tests at Watkins Glen (USA)

• August 2025: Start of production

• 2026: Introduction in the FIA WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship