Pirelli the new control tyre supplier to Mini Challenge

Pirelli has announced a new control tyre sponsorship with the Mini Challenge. The manufacturer is currently displaying several exciting competition cars at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham between 12 and 15 January. Pirelli will also unveil the latest livery for the Pirelli Star Driver UK programme, which since 2008 has given an up-and-coming talent a fully-paid drive on the British Rally Championship.

The winner for the 2012 season is Finn Jukka Korhonen – the first driver to win the Pirelli Star Driver prize from outside the British Isles – and in another first he will be driving a Skoda Fabia R2, as the British Rally Championship adopts a two-wheel drive formula. The new livery reflects Pirelli’s latest corporate colours, inspired by the company’s Formula One programme.

Other motorsport personalities set to make an appearance at the Pirelli UK stand, which is located in Hall 6, stand 6260, include Fifth Gear presenter and Pirelli F1 blogger Tiff Needell and Pirelli’s Motorsport director Paul Hembery.
 
A wide range of Pirelli’s tyres for both road and track will be on display at the show, ranging from the state-of-the-art P Zero Formula One tyre – which has been evolved further for the 2012 season – to the newly-launched P1: Pirelli’s most ecological tyre yet for small to medium sized road cars.
 
As well as the current range of modern road car tyres, Pirelli’s new historic rally tyre – the GM6 – will be on display. This tyre took former British Champion Gwyndaf Evans to a dominant eight-minute victory on the Roger Albert Clark Rally, its UK debut – and the Ford Escort that he used to win it will also be exhibited on the Pirelli stand. Gwyndaf Evans himself, as well as his son Elfyn – the 2011 Pirelli Star Driver – will also be dropping in for interviews and autographs.
 
Pirelli UK managing director Dominic Sandivasci commented: “We’re delighted to present every facet of our competition business at the Autosport International Show: the premier motorsport show in the world, which is very close to our Burton upon Trent base.”