Pirelli, British Rally Championship organisers and the Forestry Commission are working on “green” tyres.

A statement issued by the BRC said, “Following on from the introduction of a ‘greener' control fuel, a partnership set up by the BRC with Pirelli and the Forestry Commission will examine tyre technologies with a view to finding a solution which will have positive economic and environmental benefits.
“The sport has long recognised that action needs to be taken to avert the threat of exponential increases in the Forestry Commission charges, due to pressure imposed on the management of forest tracks and the rising costs of repairing the roads.
"Indeed a Concordat drawn up at the beginning of 2005 between the Motorsport Association and the Forestry Commission pledged to find a solution to reduce the damage, examine vehicle performance and tyre technologies.
“Now nearly three years on, Pirelli tyres, the official tyre suppliers to the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship have funded an initiative and have partnered with the Forestry Commission to conduct a trial evaluation of tyre technologies. They will compare current tread patterns and compounds to help in the development of a tyre designed specifically to reduce the damage to the surface of a gravel road.”