– Leading Italian Tire Manufacturer Named Presenting Partner of HSR Mission GT Challenge Presented by Pirelli Racing Series
– All HSR Mission GT Challenge Presented by Pirelli Competitors will Race Exclusively on Pirelli Tires Commencing in 2026
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (March 5, 2026) – Pirelli – a leader among global tire giants for more than 150 years – and Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) announced today a new multi-year partnership that will see the leading Italian tire manufacturer become the official presenting partner of the new HSR Mission GT Challenge racing series.
Announced in HSR’s inaugural “State of the Sport” address back in September 2025, the HSR Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli features GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4 race cars. Pirelli is the perfect fit for the all-GT championship as many of the eligible race cars in the series were campaigned in their competition primes on Pirelli.
Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli aligns HSR’s existing Group 9 and Group 10 categories that are generally home to production-based and GT race cars that were making modern-day motorsports headlines in the past two decades. Everything from home- and factory-built Single Make Series cars up to top-level GT machines just past their competition primes are welcome in the Mission GT Challenge.
Today’s announcement includes the news that HSR Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli competitors will race exclusively on Pirelli tires commencing at the 48th HSR The Mitty, presented by Hagerty.
Starting in 2026, every HSR championship weekend features a full slate of Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli twin sprint races and a one-hour enduro, open to all eligible classes and cars in the series. Season-long points will be tabulated, including separate rankings for the enduro races, and Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli Champions will be crowned at the year-end awards celebration in 2026.
Next up on the 2026 HSR calendar of events is the 48th HSR The Mitty presented by Hagerty, April 23 – 26, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. For complete information on the 48th annual HSR The Mitty Presented by Hagerty race weekend, including the event schedule, entry lists and ticket information, visit: https://www.hsrrace.com/the-
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager: “The HSR Mission GT Challenge is a new, prestigious championship that further strengthens our already extensive portfolio, which includes the world’s leading GT series. In these programs, we see ourselves as full partners – more than a technical resource and far beyond a standard supplier. This is a new challenge, alongside highly professional organizers with very high expectations, and we will devote our full attention and effort to it. In the United States, we can rely on a close-knit, motivated team ready to provide first-class support and impeccable service, backed by a product that has already been extensively tested and widely appreciated.”
John Doonan, HSR President: “Pirelli’s rich history in motorsports is worth celebrating, and we are looking forward to doing just that with them as a key part of our launch of the Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli. They have been Formula 1’s supplier since 2011, but Pirelli’s sports car achievements are storied and vast as well. Pirelli won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall in 1954 with a Ferrari 375 Plus, and one year later the great Juan Manuel Fangio was victorious in the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Ferrari on Pirellis. Pirelli’s accomplishments in sports car racing history even have a place within our hearts and HSR family as our dear friend and former HSR co-owner, the late Jim Pace, won overall with Wayne Taylor and others at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring in a Riley & Scott on Pirellis in 1996. Now, Pirelli’s next chapter in motorsports will be written in the vintage and historic sector in HSR. We are so proud to have Pirelli join the HSR family and the Mission GT Challenge presented by Pirelli.”
About Pirelli: Pirelli is a global leader in premium and ultra-high-performance tires, recognized for its deep motorsport heritage and its commitment to innovation, technology, and performance. With more than 115 years of racing history, Pirelli competes in over 350 motorsport championships worldwide, including serving as the exclusive tire supplier to many of the world’s most prestigious series. In North America, Pirelli continues to expand its footprint across professional and grassroots motorsport, supporting championships, teams, and drivers with the same race-to-road technology that defines its iconic P Zero product family. From track to street, Pirelli’s tire innovations deliver precision, control, and performance to the most demanding drivers. Guided by a legacy of excellence and a dedication to the future of mobility, Pirelli remains at the forefront of performance engineering in North America and around the world.
About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) is the premier vintage and historic racing series in North America. It was formed in the mid-1970s with an inaugural event at Road Atlanta and became a part of International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in 2022. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate and enjoy the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/,on Twitter X @HSR_race and on Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.
