Polyphony Digital has revealed a new partnership with Dunlop, establishing the company as the official tire partner for Gran Turismo 7 and the Gran Turismo World Series.
The new multi-year agreement sees Dunlop become the official “tire supplier” for the World Series esports championship beginning with Round 2 of the 2025 season in Berlin. The partnership will also include the integration of Dunlop branding and tire technology into Gran Turismo 7 itself via future game update. This move follows the conclusion of the franchise’s previous five-year technical partnership with Michelin.
Dunlop brings with it over 130 years of history. Founded in Belfast, Ireland in 1888, the company is credited with inventing the first practical pneumatic tire. Now part of Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Dunlop has a long history in motorsport.
The brand is particularly well-known for its achievements in endurance racing, having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans multiple times since its first victory in 1924. Among its most celebrated accomplishments is supplying the tires for the Mazda 787B that won Le Mans in 1991, the first victory for a Japanese manufacturer.
The collaboration will hopefully influence the in-game driving physics as Polyphony Digital works with its new partner, though the potential is not discussed as prominently in the official communications as it was when the Michelin partnership was revealed back in 2019.
In today’s announcement, Hiroshi Hamada, Senior Executive Officer at Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., stated: “By combining our accumulated experience with cutting-edge simulation technologies, we are driving the development of high-performance and sustainable tires.”
Gran Turismo Series Producer Kazunori Yamauchi commented on the new agreement: “We are very excited to welcome Dunlop to the Gran Turismo family. As a company with a significant legacy in automotive and motorsport history, Dunlop continues to demonstrate innovation and competitiveness in the industry. We look forward to a productive collaboration…”
Of course, such corporate sponsorships are important for to keep the production of the Gran Turismo World Series live events economically viable, which have become a significant part of the Gran Turismo ecosystem.
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