“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are powerful platforms that unite and inspire people around the world through emotion and performance,” said Laurent Dartoux, Management Board Chair and Group President, Bridgestone Europe Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA). “The objectives of the Olympic and Paralympic movements closely align with Bridgestone’s mission ‘Serving Society with Superior Quality’ and our vision to create a more sustainable world for future generations. Through our support for Paris 2024, we are promoting and demonstrating our shared values to our employees, our communities, and our customers.”
Advanced Tyre Performance and Service for the Paris 2024 Fleet
As the Official Tyre of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Bridgestone is helping keep the official Olympic and Paralympic fleet in motion. Bridgestone is providing a variety of its premium tyres for more than 1,000 of Toyota’s newly-provided vehicles.
This product offering includes the new Bridgestone Turanza 6 and the Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres featuring the company’s advanced ENLITEN technology, a combination of cutting-edge technologies and materials designed to optimise performance, durability, and/or sustainability characteristics. Through ENLITEN, Bridgestone will continue to design premium tyres to fit the evolving performance needs of its customers and the future mobility ecosystem, particularly EVs.
Bridgestone is also providing its high-performing motorcycle tyres for more than 20 motorcycles used in support of Paris 2024 road course events. These provisions include tyre fitments for a prototype Kawasaki hydrogen motorcycle.
More than three dozen Bridgestone-owned Speedy and First Stop tyre and maintenance service centres will be on call during Gamestime to support all fleet tyres and passenger vehicles. These locations throughout the Paris 2024 venue will provide tyre checks and related automotive service for the nearly 3,000 cars operating at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speedy will also provide glass-related services, including windshield repair and replacement.
Road Safety Training for Paris 2024 Drivers
To promote road safety, Bridgestone created an e-learning education model as part of a training series for drivers. The training will be offered to the nearly 4,000 volunteer drivers before they get behind a wheel to pilot the Paris 2024 fleet. The module highlights the important role tyres play in vehicle safety and performance. It also offers tyre care tips for checking tread and maintaining proper inflation.
Collaboration to Advance Accessible and More Sustainable Transportation
In addition to supporting the 100%-electrified Toyota passenger vehicle fleet, Bridgestone is providing tyre fitments designed to help maximise a number Toyota’s hydrogen-powered and inclusive mobility offerings. This collaborative support for emerging innovation vehicles includes tyres fitted for 500 Hydrogen-fuelled Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) cars and two Hydrogen-fuelled FCEV buses. It also includes tyres fitted for 250 Toyota zero tailpipe emission electric Accessible People Movers (APM) that will transport athletes, staff, and fans during the Games. The APMs are vehicles specifically designed for people with physical disabilities. They are fitted with Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 tyres designed to provide a comfortable riding experience and low rolling resistance efficiency that can help optimise fuel/energy consumption.
Bridgestone also will supply more than 600 bicycles for alternative options of non-motorised transportation. Bridgestone is partnering with Decathlon, an international sporting goods manufacturer based in France and Official Partner of Paris 2024, to make the bikes available across Paris 2024 venues and in the Olympic and Paralympic Village. The bicycles will be available to athletes, volunteers and staff for convenient and efficient transportation where car travel is not necessary. After Paris 2024 concludes, Bridgestone will partner with Ville de Paris to donate approximately 500 of the bikes locally to community organisations.
High-performance Sports Equipment for Olympic and Paralympic Athletes
A number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing at Paris 2024 will help demonstrate how Bridgestone innovation and premium performance extends beyond tyres.
Bridgestone Golf products and technology will be on display at the Paris 2024 men’s and women’s golf events. Numerous professional golfers who use Bridgestone golf balls have qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In support of these athletes, the company is providing approximately 3,500 high-performance golf balls for use on the tournament practice range.
Additionally, numerous adaptive athletes from the United States and Japan will use Bridgestone rubber and equipment during competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Bridgestone engineers, designers and materials experts have leveraged their tyre and rubber experience to explore rubber applications for several sports. These innovation opportunities include the use of Bridgestone tyre rubber for gloves, wheelchair hand rims, prosthetic running blades, spike plates, wheelchair tyres, and more.
Bridgestone’s work with global athletes is designed to inspire people of all backgrounds and abilities to overcome adversity and chase their dreams. Currently, Bridgestone is partnering with 40 Olympians, Paralympians, and hopefuls to represent the brand as Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors.
“Bridgestone has driven innovation for nearly a century – and we continue to build on that legacy today through advanced tyre technologies and beyond,” added Dartoux. “We are proud to support Paris 2024 athletes and operations with products, services and solutions where our technological know how can be of help. It demonstrates our commitment to more sustainable premium performance – because what really matters is that we enable all people to perform at their best for generations to come.”
