OZ Racing Wheels

OZ Racing Wheels

Definition and Core Positioning
Founded in 1971, OZ Racing is an Italian alloy wheel brand established by Silvano Oselladore and Pietro Zen at a petrol station in Rossano Veneto, near Venice. The brand name is derived from the initials of the two founders' surnames. Starting with handcrafted light-alloy rims, its debut product was fitted to a Mini Cooper that went on to secure a rally victory. Today, OZ Racing stands as one of Europe’s wheel brands with the deepest motorsport pedigree, boasting a product portfolio spanning top-flight disciplines such as F1, WRC, DTM, Indy, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, whilst also serving as an OEM wheel supplier to marques like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lotus, and McLaren.

Motorsport Heritage and Track Record
OZ possesses exceptionally deep motorsport roots. In 1984, the OZ Racing division was officially established to manufacture wheels for F1. The first F1 single-seaters to run on OZ rims were the Alfa Romeo Euroracing machines driven by Patrese and Cheever, featuring two-piece magnesium-aluminium wheels. OZ officially entered F1 in 1985, followed by the WRC in 1988. To date, OZ has powered teams and drivers to over 150 championship titles.

In F1, OZ propelled Alain Prost (1993 Williams-Renault) and Damon Hill (1996 Williams) to World Championship glory. In 1990, Carlos Sainz piloted an OZ-equipped Toyota Celica 4WD to claim the WRC Drivers' Championship; in 2000, OZ teamed up with the Peugeot 206 WRC for another world title; and in 2001, OZ helped Richard Burns of the Subaru World Rally Team clinch the Drivers' World Championship. In endurance racing, OZ has served as Audi Sport’s official supplier since 2000, racking up an illustrious track record of victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Return to F1 in 2026
Between 2022 and 2025, F1 enforced a single-spec wheel supplier across the grid. With the 2026 technical regulations reopening the door for wheel supplier choices, OZ Racing makes its official return to F1. According to Akihiro Uchiyama, representative of OZ Japan, every team approached OZ with supply requests the moment the market opened. However, due to production capacity and operational constraints, OZ will ultimately supply wheels to around five teams, including Oracle Red Bull Racing. The internal profile of modern F1 wheels is exceptionally intricate, requiring machining times that can exceed 24 hours, with select teams adopting hollow-spoke architectures to meet specific demands. Uchiyama noted that in an era where wheel covers obscure logos and aesthetic styling, OZ's philosophy remains clear: to "win on pure performance".

Core Technology: The HLT Process
OZ's flagship proprietary technology is HLT (High Light Technology), a hybrid manufacturing process combining low-pressure casting with flow forming. Crafted from AlSi7Mg alloy, the rims undergo low-pressure casting, heat treatment, and HLT flow forming to achieve substantial weight savings without compromising structural rigidity. The HyperGT HLT, for instance, draws directly from GT3 racing expertise, featuring a 10-spoke layout where the spoke ends flare into a scythe-like profile at the reinforced outer lip to boost both rigidity and aerodynamic efficiency. The side-cut machining on the spokes is straight out of motorsport, shedding non-structural mass whilst preserving torsional stiffness, whilst the inner rim profile is derived from LMP1 prototypes to maximise rigidity and prevent cornering camber deflection.

Core Product Lineup
OZ's aftermarket product range is categorised into several dedicated series. The Ultraleggera is the brand’s most iconic lightweight lineup—translating literally to "ultra-light"—utilising the HLT process and favoured heavily for both road and track applications. The Superturismo LM takes inspiration from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, featuring a multi-spoke design derived from Audi endurance racers with a race-inspired central undercut, manufactured via low-pressure casting, heat treatment, and HLT flow forming. The HyperGT HLT is born from GT3 racing, distinguished by its 10-spoke design and scythe-shaped spoke terminals. The Rally Racing stands as one of OZ’s most historic offerings; its signature 1990s white livery with twin red "OZ Racing" centre lettering remains a rally icon. The modern Rally Racing retains these heritage cues with an updated spoke profile, alongside a dedicated VAN variant engineered for vans and commercial vehicles. The Leggera HLT and Indy HLT cater to the street-performance and Indy-inspired markets respectively, whilst the Leggenda series caters to classic and retro restomod builds.

Manufacturing and Certification
All OZ products are 100% manufactured in Italy. In 1998, OZ became the first Italian wheel manufacturer to earn ISO 9001 certification from Germany’s KBA (Federal Motor Transport Authority), covering the entirety of its production process. OZ wheels are engineered to comply with stringent European safety standards, including TÜV certification, sharing the same manufacturing ecosystem and engineering know-how across both its racing and aftermarket operations.

China Market Presence
OZ Racing’s official operating entity in China is Yikazhi Auto Parts Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., based in Minhang District, Shanghai. Cool Car acts as OZ's official strategic partner in China, overseeing brand marketing and distribution channels. Within the Chinese aftermarket and tuning scene, OZ is positioned as the benchmark brand for "Italian racing pedigree", with its illustrious rally heritage and F1 supplier credentials serving as its core brand hallmarks.

Brand Positioning Summary
In the aftermarket wheel arena, OZ Racing occupies a distinct sweet spot between the dedicated forged racing ethos of Japan's RAYS/Volk Racing and the dual-track German-Japanese heritage of BBS. OZ's primary competitive edge lies in the seamless marriage of Italian design aesthetics with trickle-down motorsport engineering—its proprietary HLT technology delivers near-forged performance at the price point of cast and flow-formed wheels, balancing Apennine visual drama with track-proven functional integrity. For car enthusiasts seeking genuine European racing pedigree, everyday street-to-track versatility, and uncompromising 'Made in Italy' craftsmanship, OZ Racing remains the ultimate benchmark alternative to Japanese performance wheels.