Toyo Tires reflects on “great” Dakar
While Toyo had hoped for honours at the Dakar Rally 2012, the Hummers it supported finished in creditable positions, with five stage victories and a further five podiums going to the Speed Energy / Toyo Tires Hummers. Robby Gordon and navigator Johnny Campbell finished the 2012 Dakar on a high note by winning the 29km timed special of Stage 14, the last in this year’s off-road marathon rally. Gordon finished fifth overall, with his vehicle being the only two-wheel drive vehicle finishing in the top ten.
Continue ReadingDunlop’s fastest-fitting success in Dubai
The battle of the supercars in the Dunlop Dubai 24 hour race is made possible by the frenetic activities of tyre-fitters in the pit lane, which the headline sponsor and tyre supplier calls “the world’s busiest fast fit centre”. During the 24 hour race, the Dunlop team fitted over 3500 racing tyres. At peak times, during the opening stages of the race when all the cars were competing, the team was fitting, inflating and balancing a Dunlop tyre every 15 seconds.
Continue ReadingBFGoodrich completes decade of Dakar wins
Stéphane Peterhansel in his ALL 4 Racing Mini completed victory in the Dakar rally, aided by American tyre brand, BFGoodrich, recording its twelfth Dakar win – its tenth in a row. The rally finished in Lima, Peru on Sunday, with Peterhansel taking his personal score on the event to 10 wins. BFGoodrich’s maiden Dakar success was in 1999, and the American tyre brand, which belongs to the Michelin group, hasn’t been beaten on the off-road rally since 2002.
Continue ReadingCooper wins herald expansion in endurance rallying
Cooper Tire Europe says it has expanded its involvement in endurance rallying, with its 4x4 products victorious in two high-profile events this month. In the Dakar, Spaniard Xavier Foj won the T2 production class in his Discoverer S/T MAXX-shod Toyota Land Cruiser 150. Meanwhile, ex-Formula 1 driver and endurance rally veteran, Jean-Louis Schlesser, won his fourth consecutive Africa Eco Race, using Cooper’s Discoverer STT tyre for the first time.
Continue ReadingDespres helps Michelin to 29th Dakar motorcycle victory
Michelin’s bike tyres were fitted to the Dakar Rally motorcycle winner’s bike for the 29th time this weekend; rally winner, Cyril Despres’ KTM was equipped with the latest Michelin Desert Race tyres was the winner, while another Michelin-equipped KTM, ridden by Spaniard Marc Coma claimed second place, completing a one-two finish for Red Bull/KTM. Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues’s Yamaha, also equipped with Michelin Desert front tyres with the French manufacturer’s Bib-Mousse inserts, came third.
Continue ReadingPirelli BRC contract extended to 2014
Pirelli will provide tyres to the MSA British Rally Championship for the next two years. The premium manufacturer has supplied the control tyre to the series since 2007, and was previously contracted until the end of the 2012 season. Pirelli says the addition of two years has shown its ongoing commitment to national-level motorsport.
Continue ReadingFormer Bridgestone motorsport boss hired by Ferrari F1
Hirohide Hamashima, formerly manager of Bridgestone’s Motorsport department, has been hired by Ferrari to be the luxury car brand’s Formula One Team tyre development director. Hamashima worked with Bridgestone, which supplied tyres to F1 from 1997, until pulling out at the end of the 2010 season.
Continue ReadingYokohama to provide F2 control tyre
Japanese tyre manufacturer, Yokohama has been selected as the control tyre provider for the 2012 and 2013 seasons of the FIA Formula Two championship. Run by MSV and headed by former Formula One driver, Dr Jonathan Palmer, Formula 2 is recognised as a stepping stone to Formula One for aspiring single seat racers. The adoption of Yokohama as control tyres means the addition of a second FIA championship to the Japanese brand's portfolio; it has provided the control tyres for the FIA World Touring Car Championship since 2006.
Continue ReadingPirelli the new control tyre supplier to Mini Challenge
Pirelli has announced a new control tyre sponsorship with the Mini Challenge. The manufacturer is currently displaying several exciting competition cars at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham between 12 and 15 January. Pirelli will also unveil the latest livery for the Pirelli Star Driver UK programme, which since 2008 has given an up-and-coming talent a fully-paid drive on the British Rally Championship.
Continue ReadingMotorsports successes mark Brembo's Golden Jubilee
Brembo, the designer and manufacturer of brake systems and high performance automotive components, celebrates 50 years in business, confirming its technological supremacy through a string of great successes in competitive motorsports during 2011. The list of winners using Brembo products is truly staggering. Among these are 12 victories in the Formula One Championship that saw Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull Racing team successfully defending the Drivers' and Constructors' Titles won in 2010. Involved in Formula One since 1975, Brembo is able to boast 205 Grand Prix race wins, making up a total of 17 World Championship Drivers' titles and 21 World Championship Constructors' titles, achieved with the top teams.
Continue ReadingToyo Tires to support Robby Gordon in 2012 Dakar
Toyo Tires will fit its Open Country M/T-R tyres to Robby Gordon’s Team SPEED in the 2012 Dakar. Two of Robby Gordon’s specially built Hummer H3 racers will compete for the overall win; defending 2011 Dakar winner, Nasser Al-Attiyah joins the team in the #300 Qatar/Toyo Tires Hummer H3 while Gordon will drive his bright orange #303 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires entry. Past off-road racing champions Gordon and Toyo Tires first competed in the Dakar in 2006. “Toyo Tires and I have worked hard over the years to develop a tyre combination that is right for the HUMMER,” said Gordon.
Continue ReadingKumho reviews motorsport season
2011 was Kumho’s ninth and final year as official supplier to the Formula 3 Euro Series, for which the company created a new tyre with stiffer construction and softer tread compound. The intention was to create a cover with a more significant performance peak coupled to a reduction in grip after just a few laps, what Kumho views as the type of cycle F3’s aspiring Grand Prix drivers need to cope with if they are to make it to the pinnacle of motorsport. The product helped competitors to break lap records achieved on the previous tyre.
Continue ReadingToyo renews NASA partnership
Toyo Tire U.S.A. has announced it will continue as the official tyre of NASA. For those scratching their heads at this point, the NASA Toyo is connected to is the National Auto Sport Association rather than the space agency; continuing a relationship that began in 2002 when the Proxes Ra1 was first chosen as the spec tyre for select racing classes, Toyo has renewed its agreement with NASA through 2015. In addition, Toyo Tires returns as the title sponsor of the NASA Championships.
Continue ReadingYear 29 – Yokohama gears up for Macau GP
For the 29th consecutive year, Yokohama Rubber will serve as sole tyre supplier for the Macau Grand Prix. This Formula 3 event, being held for the 58th time, gets underway tomorrow and runs until November 20. Yokohama will also again be the exclusive tyre supplier in the culminating event of 2011 FIA World Touring Car Championship, a race taking place in Macau in conjunction with the Macau Grand Prix. The weekend’s racing events will also include a touring car race for local drivers and a motorcycle race.
Continue ReadingMaxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed at Top Gear Live
Winner of the constructor’s title in the 2011 Maxxis British Drift Championship, Team Japspeed will demonstrate its skills at Top Gear Live, which starts today. The Maxxis-sponsored team will perform drift displays at the NEC Arena in Birmingham on 11-13 November and London’s ExCel on 24-27 November.
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