With a brand new range of products to be launched by year end, Misani scrambled technicians and IT teams at one of the world’s leading tire companies to get more work done online to allow engineers locked down at home to test materials virtually.

It worked. Rather than a fall-off in activity the company saw a dramatic pickup in research and development.

"There are moments of crisis, like Covid, when you have to reshape and make yourself more efficient and that’s what we’re doing,” Misani said.

Coronavirus has impacted production and distribution for tire makers the world over.

Like many in the car industry, Pirelli has been going digital for years as cheaper computing power and more advanced software programs make virtual engineering a reality.