A pair of annular inserts of elastomeric material is circumferentially applied by spiraling around a laying surface of an auxiliary drum. Then a plurality of strip-like elements disposed in parallel side by side relationship with each other in the circumferential extension of the laying surface is applied onto the auxiliary drum, so as to form at least one first belt layer. Respectively opposite end portions of each strip-like element are radially superposed, each against one of the annular inserts, so that each of the annular inserts projects from a respective end edge of the strip-like element. The cap structure formed on the auxiliary drum is coupled to a carcass structure through toroidal conformation of the latter, in such a manner that the radially external ends of sidewall portions previously manufactured on the carcass plies are associated with the axially external ends of the annular inserts.

A process for manufacturing tires for vehicle wheels includes associating at least one reinforcing structure with at least one surface portion of at least one tire component laid on a forming support, wherein associating the at least one reinforcing structure includes bringing, through a handling and deposition member, at least one reinforcing element to the forming support and depositing, through said handling and deposition member, the reinforcing element on a respective deposition part defined on a surface portion of the component. The depositing includes gradually laying the reinforcing element on the deposition part following the profile of the deposition part in a circumferential direction.

A belt cover layer is formed by spirally winding belt cover materials including a first cover material and a second cover material. When one side in a tire width direction with respect to a tire equatorial plane is defined as a first side and another side is defined as a second side, the first cover material is disposed from a position between a shoulder region on the second side and the tire equatorial plane to a shoulder region on the first side. The second cover material is disposed from a position between the shoulder region (Ash) on the first side and the tire equatorial plane to the shoulder region on the second side. The first cover material and the second cover material have an overlapping portion at a position where positions in the tire width direction become positions identical to one another.