Michelin Pilot Sport EV bows out of Formula E in London season closer

French tyre giant will ‘mark further step in quest for energy efficiency, sustainable mobility,’ signing further 3-season deal

Michelin will supply the Formula E series until at least the 2018/19 season, though its Pilot Sport EV bowed out of competition after the recent 2015/16 season closer at Battersea Park. “The Michelin Pilot Sport EV has revolutionised the role played by tyres in motor racing,” states Serge Grisin, manager of Michelin’s Formula E programme. “Its patterned tread, interior diameter of 18 inches and longevity are all firsts in world class single-seater racing and the two Formula E championships that have already taken place have showcased the quality and relevance of the work produced by the teams at Michelin Motorsport.

“The Michelin Pilot Sport EV will now hand over to its successor with which the majority of the teams have already been working since mid-June to prepare their cars for the 2016/2017 series which will feature our latest tyre – the Michelin Pilot Sport EV2. It was designed to deliver the same outstanding performance and versatility as the original but is noticeably more energy efficient. We have effectively succeeded in shaving a considerable amount of weight off the new tyre while achieving significantly lower rolling resistance in keeping with the aim of the Formula E championship which is to achieve more with less energy.”

2016/2017 calendar

• October 9, 2016: Hong Kong (China)
• November 12, 2016: Marrakech (Morocco)
• February 18, 2017: Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• April 1, 2017: Mexico City (Mexico)
• April 22, 2017: tbc
• May 13, 2017: Monaco
• May 20, 2017: Paris (France)
• June 10, 2017: Berlin (Germany)
• June 24, 2017: tbc
• July 1, 2017: Brussels (Belgium)
• July 15-16, 2017: Montreal (Canada)
• July 29-30, 2017: New York (USA)

Michelin motorsport director Pascal Couasnon added: “We are already working very closely with all the teams to prepare for Formula E’s Season 3 which will mark a further step in the quest for energy efficiency and sustainable mobility. We are proud to have extended our involvement in this forward-looking championship until at least the 2018/2019 series. The new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 is an example of how the motoring public is already benefiting from technologies signed off in the FIA Formula E Championship.”

The 2015/2016 FIA Formula E Championship concluded in Battersea Park, London, with two ePrix wins for Nicolas Prost. The dramatic finale saw the Frenchman’s Renault e.dams teammate Sébastien Buemi win the drivers’ title, finishing two points clear of Lucas di Grassi (ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport). Prost secured the bronze medal. The squad run by Alain Prost and Jean-Paul Driot rounded out its successful campaign by securing the second season’s Teams’ title, ahead of ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport and DS Virgin Racing.

The London races took place in chilly weather for the time of year (between 10 and 15°C in the morning) with the occasional, sometimes heavy shower. At 2.922km, the 17-turn British track was one of the longest of the 2015/2016 season and featured several long straights interrupted by chicanes which called for some particularly heavy braking. Also, the cars ran the highest ride heights of the championship in order to cater for Battersea Park’s cambered lanes.

Michelin’s Formula E tyre, which was designed for dry and wet conditions as well as the unique variety of challenges posed by the calendar’s street circuits, showed its versatility, with heavy showers punctuating qualifying, before sunny intervals dried the track. The drier track led to some lightning quick lap times as the French tyres took the occasionally very late braking in their stride. Reasonably low wear-rates provided further evidence of the fact that a single set of tyres per car per race day is amply sufficient.

Michelin motorsport director Pascal Couasnon said: “I would like to congratulate Sébastien Buemi and our partner Renault e.dams on their titles and on their performance all-season long. I am pleased to see that the fastest race laps were posted at the end of the races. That’s a sign that our tyres deliver consistently high performance, whatever the wear rate, temperature or weather conditions.”