The traditional collaboration between Pirelli and Ferrari starts another chapter inspired by the open-topped racing cars of the 1950s, brought right up to date with the latest technology from Maranello: the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2. These limited edition cars – highlighting a new “Icon” range – reinterpret the open cars that used to dominate the Mille Miglia and World Sports Car Championship.
Pirelli has created a bespoke P Zero for the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2, starting with a precise requirement for the car’s development: 21-inch diameter tires. This choice has been made for the first time in Ferrari’s history, presenting Pirelli’s engineers with the challenge of offering the usual levels of stiffness, comfort and performance that is synonymous with Ferrari, despite the record size. The front P Zero tires also have the crucial task of faithfully conveying to the driver what the road is doing via the steering wheel, in order to maximize driving pleasure. Furthermore, the tires had to play their part in keeping weight to a minimum on the new car. To achieve this, instead of the traditional reinforced textiles, the bead area was redesigned to maintain lateral rigidity while minimizing weight: this solution has saved 1.2 kilograms. The Pirelli P Zero tire sizes for the Ferrari Monza are 275/30 R21 at the front and 315/30 R21 at the back.
PIRELLI AND FERRARI
The relationship between Pirelli and Ferrari has endured for decades, going back to when the Prancing Horse made its debut. The Ferrari 500 with which Alberto Ascari won two consecutive Formula 1 titles in the 1950s, as well as the Ferrari 375 Plus that triumphed at the 1954 Le Mans 24 Hours, used Pirelli tires. One of the most important collaborations between the two Italian firms was for the legendary F40 in 1987. For the first time, Pirelli created a P Zero that was specifically designed for the V8 biturbo from Maranello, paving the way for a whole family of tailor-made tires for road cars. The majority of the fastest Ferraris have used Pirelli as original equipment, including the F12TDF, LaFerrari and FXX-K among many others.
And this collaboration isn’t just limited to the road. The prestigious one-make Ferrari Challenge race series has been exclusively supplied by Pirelli since its creation in 1993. The Pirelli Collezione additionally offers tires for classic Ferraris, combining modern technology with original looks. One example is the Pirelli Stelvio that was designed exclusively for the most valuable car in the world: the Ferrari 250 GTO. And now the story continues.
