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FIA confirms Pirelli will stay in F1

Pirelli will remain in F1 next year © Getty Images

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The FIA has confirmed Pirelli will stay as Formula One's tyre supplier next year, although the tender process for tyre and fuel suppliers is set to change under the new Concorde Agreement.

Pirelli has been confident of a new deal for some time after signing contracts with Formula One Management and the teams over the course of the year. However, it was not until Friday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] that the FIA gave the tyre company its approval, just four days before the teams are supplied with the full specification for next year's rubber.

However, under the new Concorde Agreement the FIA will take control over who is appointed as F1's tyre and fuel suppliers.

"One of the noteworthy aspects of the new 2013 Concorde Agreement is the new tender procedure for appointing single suppliers in the tyre and fuel categories, for the FIA F1 World Championship," read a statement from the WMSC. "In this new process, the FIA will be confirmed as the body in charge of conducting the tender process. The Commercial Rights Holder will be entitled to run the commercial negotiations with potential suppliers, with a view to the selected single supplier being officially appointed by the WMSC.

"In order to cover the transition period and considering the contracts already settled by FOM and the Teams with Pirelli, the WMSC today confirmed that Pirelli may continue to supply tyres to competitors in the FIA F1 World Championship, subject to the requisite technical and safety standards of the FIA being met."

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