Goodyear unveils Pure ETCR Eagle F1 SuperSport tyre

Goodyear has revealed the bespoke Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyre that will be equipped to all cars in Pure ETCR. The series is the world’s first all-electric multi-brand touring car series. Goodyear is the exclusive tyre supplier and founding partner of the championship.

The unique treaded race tyre for Pure ETCR is the latest in Goodyear’s performance Eagle F1 SuperSport range. It shares a great deal of technology with the Eagle F1 SuperSport road tyre but is optimised to maximise performance from Pure ETCR’s radical electric touring cars, which will compete in their first races later this year.

Similarities with road tyre

The bespoke Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport Pure ETCR tyre has a very similar appearance to the road tyre, shares the same philosophy, and much of the same technology. These shared technologies include the Power Shoulder and High Force Construction features, which are key for maximising performance on both road cars and in the 500 kW (670 hp) Pure ETCR race cars. The entire Eagle F1 SuperSport range draws on Goodyear’s extensive and wide-ranging motorsport experience to improve performance on the road, but these benefits work both ways. The innovative technologies in the road tyre are now being used as the basis for the race-only Pure ETCR tyre.

On the road tyre, the Power Shoulder improves cornering performance through its massive closed outside pattern, while the super stiff sidewall design of the High Force Construction technology results in better handling and driving stability. Both of these technologies are integral to the Pure ETCR version of the Eagle F1 SuperSport but optimised for race use by strengthening the outer shoulder even more. The result is a unique tyre that provides stability and impressive cornering performance to the world’s most powerful touring cars.

The use of treaded tyres is unusual at this level of motorsport but it allows Pure ETCR teams to use the same tyre for wet and dry conditions, rather than the usual split between slick tyres for dry and treaded tyres for wet running. Using a single tyre specification avoids the need to ship three or four specifications around the world, aiding Goodyear and Pure ETCR’s sustainability plans.

Pure ETCR poses a number of unique technical challenges due to its unique race format and the sheer power of its cars, which are based on manufacturers’ road cars and look very similar to their mid-size four-door hatchbacks and saloons. Electric vehicles are heavier than their petrol or diesel equivalents but also produce an incredible amount of torque and, with up to 500 kW, Pure ETCR cars are some of the most powerful EVs on the racetrack.

These unique characteristics mean that Pure ETCR cars need a tyre that can withstand immense forces and instant power delivery, while ensuring high grip and traction.

Goodyear’s Pure ETCR tyre is inspired by Eagle F1 SuperSport road tyre (Photo: Goodyear)

Track testing begins

After months of development and fine-tuning in the laboratory, the Pure ETCR-specification Eagle F1 SuperSport tyre is testing on the race track for the first time this week, at Alès, France.

Pure ETCR testing will continue over the next few months before the first events on the revised calendar in October. Demonstration events and races will take place at Copenhagen, Denmark; Goodwood, UK; Aragón, Spain; and Adria, Italy in a six-week period during October and November.

Bernd Seehafer, technical project manager EMEA, says: “We have faced a number of challenges while developing the Eagle F1 SuperSport tyre for Pure ETCR; not least because of the short timeframe and the difficulties posed by COVID-19 and lockdown. The result, however, is a unique and innovative design that is suited to the characteristics of these powerful electric touring cars. We’re proud that this tyre shares so much DNA and technology with the road car version of Eagle F1 SuperSport, and the fact that this is possible demonstrates the value that our motorsport learnings have had on road tyre development.”

Variations of the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport race range are used in a number of high-level and prestigious racing championships, including WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, where Goodyear became the exclusive tyre supplier this season. This is the top tier of petrol-powered touring car racing and is promoted by Eurosport Events, the same promoter as Pure ETCR.