Pirelli Tire North America announced the introduction of 18-inch tires for the 2022 season of the Trans Am Series TA class. This change will bring Pirelli’s motorsport tires closer to the road tire production process, in line with what has been done in Formula One as well, the company says.

With a growing emphasis on the technological as well as aesthetic proximity to the road car product, the new P Zero Trans Am TA class tires will switch from the current 16-inch diameter to 18-inch. The most significant change is the reduction of the sidewall, which now resembles that of low-profile Pirelli tires.

Pirelli says the development of the new 18-inch tires started back in 2019, with a dedicated test at the Road Atlanta Raceway, before being paused for a year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, 18-inch testing resumed with a varied program of slicks that took place at Road America and Virginia International Raceway. Pirelli has scheduled another session of testing for Nov. 22 at Homestead Miami Speedway to finalize the development of the new tires.

For 2022, the Trans Am competitors will use Pirelli’s new P Zero DH tires: an evolution of the previous range, with modifications designed to make it more versatile for the wide variety of Trans Am cars that use it, Pirelli said.