The Goodwood Festival of Speed is now behind us for another year, and Pirelli is looking back over a spectacular 2025 event. The tyre maker marked the opening of proceedings with a parade of supercars boasting a combined output of over 10,000 horsepower. Guest of honour at this outing was the new, fifth-generation Pirelli P Zero tyre, but the event also held high a family of tyres that have been heavy hitters in the ultra-high performance (UHP) segment for the past 40 years.
First introduced in 1985, the Pirelli P Zero has in its various forms equipped some of the world’s most iconic cars over the decades, with more than 3,000 versions developed for specific models.
Showcasing the defining P Zero traits
The cars in the parade, which Pirelli selected to “showcase the defining traits” of the P Zero, tackled the famed Goodwood Hillclimb, the centrepiece of the Festival of Speed. Fittingly, the Ferrari F40 led the line-up. The F40 debuted in 1987 with the first-generation P Zero as original equipment. Next up was the Lancia Delta S4 Stradale, which had arrived two years earlier with a ‘zero’ version of the iconic tyre that featured a unique tread pattern design that blended slick, intermediate, and wet profiles, as used in motorsport.
Then came the Lamborghini Urus SE, the very first model homologated with the fifth generation and latest P Zero. Representing the new era of electric hypercars was the Lotus Evija, once the most powerful production car ever launched, equipped with P Zero Trofeo R tyres marked with “Elect”: Pirelli’s signature for tyres that are specifically engineered for BEVs and PHEVs.
The Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS, fitted with P Zero R tyres, embodied the balance between performance, safety, and versatility that defines the P Zero family. At the same time, the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante – the V12 convertible grand tourer – represented the pure joy of driving. The future of mobility was symbolised by the BMW Vision Driving Experience: a concept car previewing the brand’s next-generation models. Closing the 10,000-horsepower parade was a Formula 1 car fitted with 18-inch P Zero tyres, linking road and track to highlight the famed motorsport heritage from which the P Zero was born, and from which it still continues to transfer technology today.
Cyber Tyre & sustainability-focused products
Also present were the McLaren Artura and Pagani Utopia Roadster, the first cars equipped with Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre system as standard. Pirelli tells us that this is the only hardware and software solution capable of collecting real-time data from sensors inside the tyres, which is processed via proprietary algorithms and communicated to the car’s own electronic systems; enabling “previously unimaginable levels of functionalities.”
Pirelli P Zero’s innovation also extends to reducing environmental impact: during the Festival of Speed, Pirelli and JLR – Jaguar Land Rover – unveiled the world’s first global-market production tyre containing over 70 per cent bio-based and recycled materials. JLR will initially fit the specifically developed P Zero, which also features FSC-certified natural rubber, to selected Range Rover models equipped with 22-inch wheel options.
Over the decades, P Zero has equipped some of the world’s most iconic cars, with more than 3,000 versions developed for specific models (Photo: Pirelli)
Pirelli P Zero family
Today, Pirelli positions P Zero as a brand that “inextricably links the race track to the road.” Premium and prestige car manufacturers worldwide select products from within the P Zero family, with Pirelli reporting that within the prestige segment, its P Zero tyres equip over 50 per cent of the models available on the market.
Key products in the P Zero family include: the fifth-generation P Zero, engineered to deliver high performance and safety for top-tier vehicles; the P Zero E, combining e-mobility with sustainability thanks to its use of over 55 per cent natural and recycled materials, with triple “A” ratings on the EU tyre label; P Zero R: maximising sporting performance and driving pleasure for high-performance cars and SUVs; P Zero Trofeo RS, for track use while also being street-legal; and P Zero Winter 2, tailored for drivers seeking top performance and safety even in winter conditions.
To mark the P Zero’s 40th anniversary, Pirelli has also recreated the original 1985 tyre in a limited edition of 40 sets. This model, along with other classic P Zero models, is now part of the Pirelli Collezione range, dedicated to legendary vintage and modern classic cars. Just like every tyre in the Collezione line-up, it mirrors the original design while incorporating modern materials and technology. As a result, Pirelli has enhanced safety while ensuring the original sporting soul of the car remains untouched.
10,000 horsepower – the Goodwood Pirelli P Zero parade line-up
Ferrari F40 (1987 – 478 HP) – Pirelli P Zero
Lancia Delta S4 Stradale (1985 – 250 HP) – Pirelli P Zero
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007 – 450 HP) – Pirelli P Zero
Aston Martin Vanquish Volante (2025 – 835 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Corsa
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (2018 – 770 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Corsa
McLaren Artura (2021 – 700 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Corsa
Pagani Utopia Roadster (2024 – 864 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS
Lotus Evija (2023 – 2011 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R
Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (2024 – 541 HP) – Pirelli P Zero R
BMW Vision Driving Experience (2025 – circa 1.500 HP) – Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS
Lamborghini Urus SE (2024 – 800 HP) – Pirelli P Zero
Formula 1 (2023 – circa 1.000 HP) – Pirelli P Zero F1
