Johnston clinches 2012 GT Cup on Pirelli tyres
Derek Johnston rounded off a memorable season in the GT Cup after clinching the overall championship crown at Donington Park. Peter Smallwood claimed championship glory in Group 2 and Chris Bentley was crowned the winner in Group 3. Following the conclusion of this year’s series, tyre supplier Pirelli anticipated increased grid numbers as the series organiser looks to broaden both participant numbers and sponsorship.
Continue ReadingPirelli becomes BSB Superstock sole supplier
Pirelli will increase its British Superbike presence from 2013 when the manufacturer becomes the sole tyre supplier and title sponsor for National Superstock 1000 and 600 classes. The Triumph Triple Challenge series will also use Pirelli control tyres. The brand has been the single tyre supplier in the Superbike and Supersport categories since 2008. Pirelli will offer the Diablo Supercorsa tyres for all three championships.
Continue ReadingMaxxis ups the performance at top car shows of 2012
Maxxis International has aligned its brand with some of the UK’s biggest performance car shows and events in 2012, mostly in conjunction with the drifting team Team Japspeed, which it sponsors. “This season’s events have been some of the best yet, with amazing cars and bigger crowds than ever, and we are delighted with the response from what is, after all, a hugely knowledgeable and very demanding customer base,” said Maxxis International UK’s managing director Derek McMartin.
Continue ReadingSUPER GT victory for Yokohama-shod 911
In Japan, a car shod with Yokohama Advan racing tyres finished first in the GT300 class in Round 8 (the final round) of the SUPER GT held on October 28 at Twin Ring Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, reversing the series point standings to win the 2012 series championship. Vehicles equipped with Yokohama tyres have won the series championship in the GT300 class for the last four years.
Continue ReadingFrom Dakar to Loton Park on Cooper Avon tyres
2012 saw champions crowned on Cooper Tires and Avon Tyres racing products in over 250 motor racing championships around the globe. In addition to the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 Series and the Avon Tyres British GT Championship (see Tyres & Accessories’ October issue for details), Cooper Avon added the Avon Tyres MSA British Hillclimb Championship to its roster of major motorsport activations. General Motorsport manager at Cooper Tire Europe, Paul Coates, reflected: “It’s been another phenomenal year for Cooper and Avon’s involvement in motorsport. Supplying tyres to an array of vehicles across the world, we’ve witnessed great racing and some extremely close-fought championship battles in 2012 and we’re already looking forward to another fruitful year in 2013.”
Continue ReadingPirelli takes World, British MX Championships
Pirelli took its World MX Championship tally to 58 titles as it won both MX1 and MX2 titles, whilst repeating the double in the British series. KTM factory riders Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings powered to MX1 and MX2 FIM World MX Championships ahead of schedule at the penultimate round to give Pirelli their 57th and 58th World Titles. The Italian marque also recently won the notoriously difficult Weston Beach Race to make 2012 a gold medal winning year.
Continue ReadingMaxxis 2012 MX series goes down to the wire
The final round of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship at Little Silver, near Exeter turned out to be one of the most action packed season finales ever, as Elliot Banks Browne (HM Plant KTM UK) overturned a 16 point deficit to clinch victory in the MX2 class and a second place finish in the opening moto was enough to hand the MX1 title to Kevin Strijbos. Maxxis celebrates ten years as title sponsor of the series next season and was delighted to see it remains well-supported by a Veterans championship, the MXY2 youth series and the new MXY85 competition. British motocross also continues to broaden its appeal, reaching a bigger TV audience thanks to Sky Sports 3 and 4 coverage and exposure via Motorsport Mundial on Channel 5.
Continue ReadingKumho’s Motorsport programme takes on Auto GP
Today’s F1 drivers cut their teeth in one of several formulae, the newest of which, Auto GP, was established in 2010. The winner that year was Romain Grosjean, who now competes alongside former F1 Drivers Champion Kimi Räikkönen at Lotus Renault. The series’ original tyre supplier was Michelin, but the French giant was replaced by Kumho in time for this season’s 14-round championship, which took place at seven venues on three continents. Run in conjunction with the World Touring Car Championship, it has also enjoyed round-by-round coverage on Eurosport.
Continue ReadingFalken motorsport development showcased by Pikes Peak Hillclimb
Falken continued its programmes in the German VLN championship and Nürburgring 24 Hours, UK and Europe drifting championships as well as the American Le Mans Series, while a major development project for the Japanese tyre maker was its return to Pikes Peak with tyres for an electric car. At the Nürburgring Falken returned its Porsche 997 GT3 R with a new 2013 tyre compound and construction. Pole in an early round suggested the team had pace but the car went off in the rain, forced to retire. In the ALMS, Falken’s Porsche faired better, scoring a victory at Baltimore.
Continue ReadingMetzeler fits World, British Enduro, Erzberg Rally winners
Metzeler tyres have had a successful year both around the World and in the UK in Enduro. In the World Enduro Championship, Metzeler’s Six Days Extreme tyres proved a stand out choice for successful competitors with podiums across four classes. Meanwhile in the UK long time Metzeler rider David Knight powered his way to an unsurpassed tenth British Enduro Championship. The Manx resident is now 34 years old, but was able to show his young competitors controlled aggression and pace as he took a double victory in the final round in Hampshire.
Continue ReadingF2 bosses praise Yokohama after first season supply
Yokohama’s Advan range of tyres acquired a new fitment this year. In addition to the brand’s continued supply of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, Advans were also seen fitted to another big FIA Championship, Formula Two. Yokohama HPT, the UK distributor for the Japanese brand, provided wet and dry tyres to the entire field and declared itself delighted the performance of the tyres, the feedback from the organisers and drivers, and the exceptional quality of the racing action. Richard Gates, F2 Race Operations manager, said the organisers had been “impressed” with both tyre performance and technical support. He also hinted at a relationship between the series and Yokohama that could extend beyond the current deal, which ends in 2013: "The new partnership has also been commercially viable which is imperative in today's climate and we're looking forward to continuing this relationship in the future."
Continue ReadingInfinity-backed Acorn Motorsport’s BDC season ends on high
Infinity Tyres has supplied its INF-05 tyre to the Acorn Motorsport Division team it sponsors in the Maxxis British Drift Championship this year. Its drivers, Ian Waddington and Mark Lappage achieved third and second positions in the Semi Professional and Professional classes respectively, both of which comprised 40 competitors in 2012, while AMD finished fourth in the Constructors Championship. Infinity is pleased with this “creditable” performance, especially considering it was achieved with two cars rather than the three most competitors enter. The concluding fifth and final rounds of the BDC at Knockhill Race Circuit saw Lappage climb into second place overall in the Pro Class, while Waddington held off challengers to claim the third podium position in the Semi-Pro final standings.
Continue ReadingMaxxis, Japspeed to appear at Top Gear Live 2012
Tyre manufacturer Maxxis will be completing a programme of activities at this year’s Top Gear Live, at Birmingham’s NEC from October 25-28, where Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and their racing driver colleague, The Stig, will be joined by guest drivers and awe inspiring vehicles in the Live Action Arena and Track. Maxxis will seek to raise its profile with a stand in the automotive exhibition. The company says the stand is designed to highlight its strength in depth in car and motorcycle tyres. Also, the ubiquitous Maxxis Babes will be on hand to mingle with fans and pose for photos.
Continue ReadingMaxxis tyre supplied Japspeed take 2012 BDC honours
The Maxxis-sponsored and -supplied Team Japspeed won an emphatic victory in the 2012 Maxxis British Drift Championship, clinching both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles. The six-round series, which attracted drivers from all the home nations as well as Ireland, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Norway, reached a thrilling climax at Knockhill in Dunfermline, as Paul “Smokey” Smith was crowned British Drift Champion 2012. With all four Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed drivers finishing in the top ten – Shane O’Sullivan was third while Stephen “Baggsy” Biagioni and Shane Lynch ended their campaigns in fifth and seventh place respectively – it came as no surprise that Team Japspeed were convincing winners of the constructors title.
Continue ReadingHill’s BSB season leaves sponsor Maxxis “impressed”
Maxxis International UK managing director, Derek McMartin has declared the company “impressed” at its sponsored rider, Tommy Hill’s 2012 season in the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, in which he finished third. McMartin said that the Swan Yamaha team, which is sponsored by Maxxis, has helped to increase the awareness of its brand through fans attending the championship and watching television coverage. Defending champion Hill recorded a double podium finish at Brands Hatch to end the season on a high note for Swan Yamaha, leapfrogging Alex Lowes (WFR Honda) to finish on the third step of the overall podium behind Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) and Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki).
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