Yokohama to Introduce ‘ECO’ Tyres into WTCC

A change of tyre is in the pipeline for the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Yokohama Rubber has announced it will supply its ‘ECO’ racing tyres as one-make tyres for the WTCC series for the 2010 to 2012 seasons. The ECO product follows on from Yokohama’s Advan A005 dry surface and Advan A006 wet weather tyres, supplied since 2006.

According to the Japanese manufacturer, the ECO offers “improved environmental performance.” Yokohama notes the newly developed tyre uses a revised mixture of oil and rubber, replacing the previous aromatic oil – which will be banned in Europe in 2010 – with low polycyclic aromatic (PCA). Orange oil, which is already used in the company’s “DNA Earth-1” passenger car tyre range, is also utilised. Orange oil, comments Yokohama, gives rubber added flexibility and improves grip to the extent that manoeuvrability and grip on dry surfaces are comparable to those of conventional tyres – but environmental impact is lower.

Under a basic policy of employing its technological strengths to protect the environment, as stated in its “Medium-Range Management Plan: Grand Design 100 (GD100)” the Yokohama Rubber Group aims to make all products “environmentally sound” by the 2017 financial year. The development of ECO racing tyres by the Yokohama Rubber Company is a stated part of this effort. Last year the company ran ECO racing tyres containing non-petroleum-derived raw materials in the Tokachi 24 Hour Race, and, using data from that experience, continued and continues to develop tyres it says will offer “superior performance, both on the road and environmentally.”