Keeping it Together

The organisers of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship maintain the provision of sustainable solutions to the environmental impact that results from UK rallying events as one of their top priorities. Following on from the introduction of a “greener” control fuel, a partnership set up by the BRC with Pirelli Tyre and the Forestry Commission will examine tyre technologies with a view to developing a product that will have positive economic and environmental benefits. Thus, on the back of its participation as partner and official tyre supplier to the BRC, Pirelli has joined forces with these two parties to carry out an evaluation and tyre development programme with the aim of reducing damage to forest roads.

The rallying fraternity has long recognised that action needs to be taken to avert the threat of Forestry Commission usage charges growing exponentially due to the pressures of managing forest tracks and the rising costs of repairing 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 road damage, examine vehicle performance and tyre technologies. Now, nearly three years on Pirelli is backing up these good intentions with the funds needed to conduct a trial evaluation of tyre technologies. Through its partnership with the Forestry Commission it will compare current tread patterns and compounds and the affect each has on roads within the Commission’s jurisdiction. The results of this study are expected to provide an invaluable foundation for the development of a tyre specifically designed to reduce damage to gravel road surfaces.

The need for a tyre designed with gravel roads in mind stems from the fact that most available rally tyres place an emphasis on providing traction, even if this comes at the expense of the road surface. Modern open tread patterns and sharp edges are designed to allow for a maximum “bite” into the track, disturbing the loose surface construction in the process and scattering a quantity of road material, some of which will end up lost in roadside undergrowth. Replacement stone then must be brought by road from quarries outside of the local area, further adding to the environmental impact.

“Current modern loose surface pattern rally tyres are designed to provide maximum traction and performance without any regard to the damage they cause to track surfaces,” explains Pirelli’s Dick Cormack. “Coupled with powerful four-wheel drive systems, more efficient braking, active transmission and suspension systems, they provide aggressive traction for modern rally cars both in acceleration, cornering and braking areas.” This is of course a great boon for rally drivers, but receives a far less enthusiastic response from those responsible for later restoring the damaged roads left in their wake.

Through its role as control tyre manufacturer for the World Rally Championship, Pirelli has already engaged in the provision of tyre design solutions to the challenge posed by competing in Sweden. Most of the loose surface tracks in Sweden also double as public roads, therefore preventing major damage to road surfaces has been a necessary issue to tackle. The measures introduced to accommodate the situation in Sweden have included a regulatory change in tyre tread, prescribing a closer tread pattern and the implementation of track protection methods that included placing posts in the apex of corners and the use of “bunds”.

Here in the UK, two comparable sections of road will be chosen by the Forestry Commission and their engineers and forest managers will be on hand to measure data and observe the evaluation processes. Banbury based motorsport and automotive engineering technology supplier Prodrive has agreed to supply a vehicle, which for the tests will be placed in the capable hands of triple BRC champion Mark Higgins. The Italian tyremaker will provide technical support, be responsible for data measurement and analysis and make its tyre design and production facilities available for the supply of a solution.

“The Forestry Commission is keen to support this trial. We are always conscious of the impact of our business on the environment, and any initiative which helps to support sustainability is very welcome,” said Chris Probert from the Forestry Commission. “We are pleased to work with BRC and Pirelli to try to find a long term solution to reducing costly road damage within forests. The organisers of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship hope that any new development favoured by the Forestry Commission will not only have positive impact on the environment, but will have a beneficial affect on the costs to competitors, reduce average rally speeds and be more mechanically sympathetic to transmissions, making for smoother, less damaging road surfaces.”

BRC manager Mark Taylor added: “We have been in dialogue with the Forestry Commission for some time now discussing ideas that may address the damage and repair to forest roads.

“I am really excited by this new initiative, as it has the potential to deliver major benefits to the sport, the competitors, rally organisers and our relationship and partnership with the Forestry Commission. There are lots of positive win-win messages to come from this and I hope that in the short term a successful outcome would be viewed favourably in the Forestry Commission rates charged to rallies and championships that adopt any new regulation.”