Ssangyong Motorsport fits Yokohama Geolandar on 2020 Dakar Rally

Yokohama’s Geolandar M/T G003 tyres for SUVs and pickup trucks will be fitted to the Korando DKR driven by Oscar Fuertes Aldanondo and Diego Vallejo for Ssangyong Motorsport/Sodicars Racing on the 2020 Dakar Rally (5-17 January). The same car and drivers came in third in the T1.3 petrol 2-wheel drive class in the January 2019 event, and will take on competition in the same class this year.

In recent years, the Dakar Rally has been held in South America, but the 2020 rally will be held in Saudi Arabia, in 12 stages that cover the entire country, most of which of course is desert. The rally will start in Jeddah on 5 January and cover a more than 7,500km course that finishes in Qiddiya on 17 January.

The Geolandar M/T G003 targets off-road driving enthusiasts, delivering performance on every off-road scene, from mud to rock, dirt and gravel. The company has developed the tyre with enhanced durability and wear resistance. The Yokohama development team has also designed the tyre to strengthen the vehicle’s off-road image, resulting in an aggressive-looking tyre. The Geolandar M/T G003 has a strong track record for delivering superior performance in motor sports events, including on the victorious car in the APL Smokin’ Wheels 2018 sprint endurance off-road race held in Guam.

The technology strategy outlined in Yokohama Rubber’s Grand Design 2020 (GD2020) medium-term management plan positions participation in motor sports activities as crucial to the company’s effort to be at the vanguard of the development of new tire technologies. Yokohama Rubber is therefore participating in a wide variety of events in Japan and around the globe, from formula and touring car races to off-road and kart races.