Michelin becomes Nissan LM P1 programme tyre partner

Michelin will develop and provide solutions to Nissan’s LM P1 endurance racing programme as the manufacturer’s tyre partner. The Nissan GT-R LM Nismo will race on Michelin 31/71-16 (front) and 20/71-16 (rear) tyres.

“We are very proud to have been chosen by Nissan to develop tyres for its LM P1 programme,” says Michelin motorsport director Pascal Couasnon. “After our successful associations during Nissan’s 2012 and 2014 ‘Garage 56’ projects, as well as our success together in Japan’s Super GT championship which has seen us claim three titles in four years, Michelin stood out as the natural tyre partner for Nissan’s latest project.

“The Nissan GT-R LM Nismo is a fantastic car. It will serve as a valuable laboratory for the future but will also make high demands on our tyres from the word go. The development of tyres for this car will be a challenge and we at Michelin didn’t hesitate to rise to it.”

“LM P1 confronts manufacturers with a huge number of technical challenges,” said Darren Cox, global head of brand, marketing & sales, Nismo. “It was therefore vital that we have a tyre partner who is willing to push the boundaries with us so that we can innovate to the extreme with the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo. Michelin was a valued partner to us during our ‘Garage 56’ projects so we are delighted to be working with them on our LM P1 programme.”