MICHELIN is the exclusive WEC (World Endurance Championship) tyre supplier for the Hypercar class, and has won every round of world-class endurance racing's premier series, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, since 2012.
The FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) features two classes, one for Hypercars and the other for GT3 cars. Michelin has been named to provide tyres to the sport's headlining hybrid prototypes which deliver almost 700 horsepower.
Overview of MICHELIN's Role in WEC Hypercar Class
The WEC and Michelin: a partnership built on trust!
In 1923, Michelin won the inaugural Le Mans 24 Hours and has gone unbeaten in the famous French race since 1998 – more than quarter of a century. Prior to the current season, Michelin enjoyed success in all of the championship's different classes (LMP1, LMP2, LMGTE Pro, LMGTE Am) with successive generations of prototypes and GT cars. It is this proven record in topflight endurance racing – a consequence of Michelin's permanent commitment to innovation – that has convinced major, prestigious carmakers like Toyota, Genesis, Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Alpine, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Ford to place their trust in the French firm over the years. Meanwhile, the last five seasons of the sport's LMGTE category – which permitted open competition between tyre firms – saw all of the makes involved opt for Michelin rubber. It was no surprise, then, when the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) appointed Michelin as exclusive supplier to the WEC's Hypercar teams from 2021.
More than 90 wins since 2012 and the FIA WEC's creation
Michelin has won more than 90 rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship outright, with Toyota, Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, Alpine, Cadillac, etc.
More than 45 different drivers have won FIA WEC races on Michelin rubber, including former F1 champion Fernando Alonso, 'Mister Le Mans' Tom Kristensen, Sébastien Buemi, Kamui Kobayashi, Mark Webber and Allan McNish.
Michelin's FIA WEC record also lists more than 150 LMGTE victories, with such prestigious carmakers as Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Ford, BMW, and Corvette.
Technological Innovations in MICHELIN Tyres
MICHELIN PILOT SPORT tyres are designed to deliver the best long-lasting performances for Le Mans Hypercar prototypes
Compound choices and their respective operating windows
The MICHELIN Pilot Sport range for the FIA WEC's Hypercar prototypes includes 3 types of slick (soft, medium, and hard compounds) and a rain tyre:
Soft compound: track temperatures from 0°C to 15°C, dry or slightly damp conditions.
Medium compound: track temperatures from 15°C to 25°C, dry conditions.
Hard compound: track temperatures in excess of 25°C, dry conditions, abrasive surface.
Wet: wet or drying conditions.
Tyres for the FIA WEC designed entirely virtually
In 2020, before the introduction of the Hypercar class, Michelin designed a range of tyres for these upcoming cars which, for the moment, existed only on paper! While these exciting new prototypes were being developed virtually, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport range was similarly conceived using simulation technology alone, over a period of just 10 months. It was only later that they got their first track run fitted to actual cars.
Recycled and renewable materials
Michelin has long seen endurance racing in general and Le Mans in particular as ideal laboratories for its successive innovations. Today, Michelin's motorsport program is running ahead of the targets set in the Group's Everything Sustainable plan for 2050. Indeed, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport slick and rain tyres raced by the FIA WEC Hypercar prototypes already contain 50% renewable and recycled materials.
Join Allan McNISH to discover the secrets behind MICHELIN’s Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 tyres
Allan McNish, 3 times Le Mans 24 hours winner (1998, 2008 and 2013), is giving you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how our Pilot Sport Endurance tyres are made who has made their debut in IMSA and FIA WEC this season ! How are they created, designed, manufactured, and tested before being fitted to the cars in the world's greatest endurance race? How do engineers, technicians and drivers work together to achieve the best performance, which will ultimately lead to victory? Find out more in this four-episode series.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
THE SHADOW OF THE VIRTUAL
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING & HAUTE COUTURE
ON TRACK – PROOF THROUGH PERFORMANCE
Everything you need to know about WEC
Get answers to your questions!
FAQs about WEC
MICHELIN pioneered virtual tyre design for the Hypercar class, developing a complete range through simulation alone, before a single physical prototype existed. This approach, refined over years of endurance racing, allows MICHELIN to optimise thermal behaviour, structural deformation and long-run consistency well in advance of track testing.
Fernando Alonso, Tom Kristensen, Sébastien Buemi and Kamui Kobayashi are among 40 winning drivers. Teams including Toyota, Porsche, Ferrari and Audi have all won WEC races on MICHELIN tyres.
Current MICHELIN Pilot Sport tyres for the WEC Hypercar class contain 50% renewable and recycled materials, aligning with our Everything Sustainable 2050 plan. MICHELIN uses racing as a direct testing ground for materials and processes it intends to deploy more widely.
The range comprises three slick compounds – soft, medium, and hard – each optimised for specific track temperature bands, plus a wet tyre for damp or drying conditions. Compound choice is governed by track temperature, stint length and circuit surface characteristics.
MICHELIN continues to innovate with projects like the Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 tyres, focusing on enhanced performance and increased use of sustainable materials (50%).
MICHELIN's racing tyres, like those used in the WEC, contain up to 50% renewable and recycled materials, aligning with their Everything Sustainable 2050 plan.
MICHELIN Pilot Sport tyres are available in various compounds to suit different track temperatures and conditions, ensuring high performance and durability.
#WE RACE FOR CHANGE
Executive summary
As the exclusive tyre supplier for the WEC Hypercar class, MICHELIN has demonstrated unparalleled success and innovation. From the legendary victories at Le Mans to the development of high-performance, sustainable tyre technologies, MICHELIN continues to lead in motorsport excellence. Discover the advanced features of the MICHELIN Pilot Sport range and the company's commitment to sustainability in racing.