Global tyre giant Bridgestone has announced it will exit the karting market and no longer supply kart tyres beyond the end of 2022. The Japanese company will continue to supply tyres in other motorsports.
Bridgestone tyres are currently used in Karting Australia’s Cadet and KA4 categories and distributed by Patrizicorse.
The Bridgestone Corporation statement announcing the news is below.
press release
Bridgestone Corporation today announced that it plans to discontinue supply of kart tires* effective December 31, 2022.
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Since 1977, Bridgestone has continued to develop, manufacture, and supply kart tires for domestic and overseas markets. In Japan, we have supplied kart tires accredited by the Japan Automobile Federation. Overseas, our kart tires have been homologated by Commission Internationale de Karting, an organization under the umbrella of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile. These tires have been used to support the aspirations of kart racers of all types, from hobby to serious racers pursuing new heights in their sport.
The decision to discontinue kart tire supply was made through a careful examination of the company’s portfolio and resource allocation to reflect operating environment changes consistent with the Group’s Mid-Long Term Business Strategy. However, Bridgestone will be fully responsible for the supply of kart tires until December 31, 2022, at which time outstanding supply contracts with customers are scheduled to conclude.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the many customers and kart racing staff who have used our tires in their racing pursuits. Bridgestone will continue its passionate participation in motorsports as a company and we hope that our customers will continue to support Bridgestone’s motorsports activities.
*Bias tires primarily used for racing karts
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