The Sixties and Seventies: In the Beginning Was the “Tyre with a Jacket”
The close connection between Pirelli and rally competitions became evident right from the early 1960s.
First came the innovative “tyre with a jacket”—the “Battistrada Separato 3” (BS3)—which first made its mark in a rally race. The carcass and tread of this tyre were vulcanised separately, making the tread easily interchangeable. Such an advanced design, which remained in production for some years, effectively pioneered the concept of seasonal tyre changes, making it possible to transition seamlessly between summer and winter performance. In the 1961 Monte Carlo Rally, 28 competing crews relied on the BS3, with 23 successfully reaching the finish line. The pioneering BS3 also paved the way for Pirelli’s first true winter tyre, the MS35, which in television commercials of the time appeared prominently with Sandro Munari at the wheel of the Lancia Fulvia with which he won several races, including the Monte Carlo Rally in 1972.
It was the “Dragon” Munari who, in the 1970s, ushered in yet another legendary tyre, at least to the world of rallying: the P7. As Fatti e Notizie, Pirelli’s in-house publication, explained, Munari was unwavering in his praise for the ultra-low-profile P7, engineered by Pirelli technicians and fitted to the Lancia Stratos Alitalia. Together with the car’s unmatched reliability, the P7 became a decisive factor in rally competitions, especially on the roads of Monte Carlo, where it revealed its full potential.
The 1970s were indeed a golden era for Pirelli in rallying. With the P7, the company strengthened its reputation in the toughest and most challenging races throughout the decade, creating an ever-closer synergy between competitive racing and the pursuit of ever more sophisticated technology. During this period, rallies evolved into a thrilling “blend of the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans—an intense test of technology, organisation, and unexpected challenges, demanding the utmost from both drivers and their machines”, as Pirelli’s reports declared at the time.
All of this was built on firm foundations: the most important races (beginning with the quintessential rally, that of Monte Carlo), the best-loved champions (none more so than Sandro Munari), the most successful cars (BMW, Fiat, Lancia), and, above all, the tyres. After all, victory in a rally relies 30% on the driver and another 30% on the car, but at least a further 30% on the tyres alone.
It was in the 1970s that some of Pirelli’s most historic tyres were also put to the test in rallying, and then refined or specifically adapted for the demands of racing. These included some of the best-known names: the P7, of course, but also the Supersport, the Cinturato CN 36 (also in the “C” variant for use with studs), the Cinturato MS 35, and the CN 54.
The results achieved in the races instantly inspired new research goals—and vice versa. Once again, it was a Pirelli publication that captured it best in an article on the MS35: “The computer provided the general setup. The fine-tuning came from practical road tests. And the ultimate verification came from rallying.” Victories abounded for cars fitted with “Long P” tyres, amassing over 20 wins in just the first half of the decade. Rallying became the ultimate testing ground, also for those whose hard work created every detail. I magnifici quindici della squadra rally (“The Magnificent Fifteen of the Rally Team”) was the title of an article in Fatti e Notizie devoted to those who worked in the 1970s at the Rally Centre, the heart of Pirelli’s racing tyre operations.
Technology, the will to win, and above all, a team passionate about their craft—at every level.
The close connection between Pirelli and rally competitions became evident right from the early 1960s.
First came the innovative “tyre with a jacket”—the “Battistrada Separato 3” (BS3)—which first made its mark in a rally race. The carcass and tread of this tyre were vulcanised separately, making the tread easily interchangeable. Such an advanced design, which remained in production for some years, effectively pioneered the concept of seasonal tyre changes, making it possible to transition seamlessly between summer and winter performance. In the 1961 Monte Carlo Rally, 28 competing crews relied on the BS3, with 23 successfully reaching the finish line. The pioneering BS3 also paved the way for Pirelli’s first true winter tyre, the MS35, which in television commercials of the time appeared prominently with Sandro Munari at the wheel of the Lancia Fulvia with which he won several races, including the Monte Carlo Rally in 1972.
It was the “Dragon” Munari who, in the 1970s, ushered in yet another legendary tyre, at least to the world of rallying: the P7. As Fatti e Notizie, Pirelli’s in-house publication, explained, Munari was unwavering in his praise for the ultra-low-profile P7, engineered by Pirelli technicians and fitted to the Lancia Stratos Alitalia. Together with the car’s unmatched reliability, the P7 became a decisive factor in rally competitions, especially on the roads of Monte Carlo, where it revealed its full potential.
The 1970s were indeed a golden era for Pirelli in rallying. With the P7, the company strengthened its reputation in the toughest and most challenging races throughout the decade, creating an ever-closer synergy between competitive racing and the pursuit of ever more sophisticated technology. During this period, rallies evolved into a thrilling “blend of the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans—an intense test of technology, organisation, and unexpected challenges, demanding the utmost from both drivers and their machines”, as Pirelli’s reports declared at the time.
All of this was built on firm foundations: the most important races (beginning with the quintessential rally, that of Monte Carlo), the best-loved champions (none more so than Sandro Munari), the most successful cars (BMW, Fiat, Lancia), and, above all, the tyres. After all, victory in a rally relies 30% on the driver and another 30% on the car, but at least a further 30% on the tyres alone.
It was in the 1970s that some of Pirelli’s most historic tyres were also put to the test in rallying, and then refined or specifically adapted for the demands of racing. These included some of the best-known names: the P7, of course, but also the Supersport, the Cinturato CN 36 (also in the “C” variant for use with studs), the Cinturato MS 35, and the CN 54.
The results achieved in the races instantly inspired new research goals—and vice versa. Once again, it was a Pirelli publication that captured it best in an article on the MS35: “The computer provided the general setup. The fine-tuning came from practical road tests. And the ultimate verification came from rallying.” Victories abounded for cars fitted with “Long P” tyres, amassing over 20 wins in just the first half of the decade. Rallying became the ultimate testing ground, also for those whose hard work created every detail. I magnifici quindici della squadra rally (“The Magnificent Fifteen of the Rally Team”) was the title of an article in Fatti e Notizie devoted to those who worked in the 1970s at the Rally Centre, the heart of Pirelli’s racing tyre operations.
Technology, the will to win, and above all, a team passionate about their craft—at every level.
