Hankook promotes updated Red Bull Ring
Hankook has released a video promoting the newly modernised, but still legendary Red Bull Österreichring. According to the promotional film drivers will have push their brakes and engine revs to the limit “all the time” round the revamped circuit which, although currently part of the DTM series, is described as a Formula One track.
Continue ReadingDunlop to supply new Moto3 series, extends Moto2 supply
Dunlop Motorsport, IRTA and Dorna Sports have signed a contract for the exclusive supply of tyres to the Moto3 Championship, a deal which will run from the introduction of the new category in 2012 until the end of the 2014 season. An agreement has also been made to extend the existing Moto2 Championship contract until at least the end of 2014. Dunlop will supply tyres and technical support to every competitor in Moto3, the replacement for the 125cc World Championship. Dunlop has exclusively supplied tyres to Moto2 since its inauguration in 2010. Dunlop’s supply has been ratified by Dorna and the International Road Racing Teams Association (IRTA).
Continue ReadingPirelli riders come back from injury for 2011 Isle of Man TT road races
After a year of rueing the misfortune of its main riders, Pirelli says that it will bounce back with a strong line-up for this year’s Isle of Man TT, which it hopes will be more competitive than ever. Two of Pirelli’s biggest hopes, Guy Martin and Conor Cummins crashed out of the final Senior race whilst in leading positions in 2010. Pirelli’s racing manager and Isle of Man resident Jason Griffiths lives and breathes the TT. Thirteen times a podium finisher at the TT, Jason said, “We didn’t have a lot of luck last year with our riders showing great pace but a series of technical and rider DNF’s, meant we didn’t see the top step of the podium. Guy is definitely in great form and we’ve carried out some interesting and positive tyre tests with him over the winter. There are a number of quality riders lined up this year and with Hutchy ruled out through injury it could go a number of ways for the main protagonists. Most of all we hope for good, safe racing and a continuing good spectacle for the fans.”
Continue ReadingDunlop to debut new dual compound in Moto2 at Catalunya
In addition to the MotoGP World Championship, Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya will also see the fifth round of the 2011 Moto2 Championship, on 3-5 June during which tyre supplier Dunlop will debut its dual compound rear tyre. Dunlop will bring the dual compound W919 as the main specification rear tyre with the three series 3868 as a softer second option. For the front, it will supply the 753 medium and 717 hard compound. Dunlop believes the recent Formula One Spanish Grand Prix could represent a new challenge, with the large amount of rubber compound deposited on track from Pirelli’s PZero F1 tyres representing an additional variable.
Continue ReadingJapfest 2 drifts to Donington with Maxxis Championship drivers
Maxxis has announced that the British Drift Championship, for which it is a headline sponsor will be represented at Japfest 2, the second event in the Adrian Flux Auto Series for fans of high performance Japanese cars. Japfest was launched last year at Rockingham. For 2011, the event will be staged at Donington Park on Sunday, 10 July 2011. The circuit has previously hosted rounds of the BTCC, British F3, British Superbike Championship and the European Formula One Grand Prix.
Continue ReadingCooper Tires British F3 series delivers “hands-on learning” with motorsport
Students from St Matthias Primary School in Malvern, Worcestershire were given an “alternative learning” experience through motorsport when they were visited by the Cooper Tires British F3 series. The visit was part of an initiative to introduce the youngest generation to motorsport. The project was initiated by teacher Emma Rowe, who enlisted the help of the F3 championship promoter, the SRO Motorsports Group, to help bring motorsport to life for the pupils, asking them to design a “racing buggy”. Last Friday the primary school students were treated to a visit from reigning British F3 National class champion Menasheh Idafar and the T-Sport team.
Continue ReadingFalken Motorsport driver anticipates quick Nürburgring 24-Hr with new Porsche
Back in January, the Falken Motorsport Team announced that it would return to the Nürburgring 24 Hour race on 25-26 June running a GT3 R specification Porsche 911, in a break from its tradition of Japanese sports cars. Peter Dumbreck, will be racing the car in this year’s 24 Hours, also breaking from Japanese manufactured cars, exemplified by his Nissan GTR drive in this year’s GT1 World Championship, though he notes that he has “driven a few Porsches earlier in my career including the Alzen 996 Turbo and 996 and 997 Cup cars in the Carrera Cup six or seven years ago. I’ve also driven an older RSR at the Nurburging in 2005”. Previewing the event for Falken, Dumbreck talked about the differences between driving Porsche models, such as the 997, and Nissan’s GTR, including his impressions of the Falken tyre specifications for the former, on which they have been tested.
Continue ReadingAvon signed as sole Brit F1 Sidecar tyre supplier
Avon Tyres has announced that it will be the sole tyre supplier to the 2011 Eastern Airways British F1 Sidecar championship following the first two rounds of the 2011 season, in which teams will be allowed to use up remaining stock. The eight-round series started on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and will conclude on 1 October, with four of the eight races alongside the UK’s premier two-wheeled series – the MCE Insurance-backed British Superbike Championship – shown live on Eurosport and ITV 4. The Avon series will also feature in an hour-long highlights show of all eight rounds during a prime-time slot on Eurosport.
Continue ReadingGoodyear throws its weight behind European truck racing
Some 80 million television viewers around the world are said to watch the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, and in 2011 Goodyear is continuing its commitment to the sport by supplying tyres to all 24 participating race trucks. In addition to supplying all teams with specially designed and built Truck Racing tyres, the company will also provide the FIA with technical support at all ten series races. The Goodyear tyres are supplied and serviced by TRO (Truck Racing Organisation), the sole tyre supplier. TRO represents the interests of all teams in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship and its trucks and trailers will attend all races, providing a tyre fitting area in the paddock at each venue. This year sees the introduction of RFID chips in the supplied tyres to enable their systematic electronic monitoring during race weekends.
Continue ReadingMaxxis delighted with opening round of revised drift championship
The Maxxis British Drift Championship recently got underway again following a six month break, and the title sponsor says the series continues to grow in popularity and is now bigger than ever. In order to give smaller teams and individual drivers the chance to maximise their resources the championship format has been tweaked and the 84 drivers competing this year have been split into three categories – Semi-Pro, Pro and Super-Pro – based on their driving skills and drift experience. Following the opening round of the 2011 series at Donington, Maxxis says it was delighted to see Mark Luney and SAT/Cosworth – one of its sponsored teams using the Maxxis MA-Z1 Drift tyre – take victory in the new Super-Pro class.
Continue ReadingMaxxis team enjoys ‘best ever’ BSB finish
Last weekend’s BSB round at Oulton Park provided a “best ever” moment for Maxxis-sponsored team MSS Colchester Kawasaki. The tyre maker reports that team rider Stuart Easton, having secured the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R’s first podium in the 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with a third place in race one, followed up with an even better performance in the second race and led for the majority of laps before finishing second overall. This was, Maxxis states, the team’s best ever Superbike finish.
Continue ReadingBogie prevails in Pirelli International Rally
Scottish driver David Bogie has extended his lead at the top of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship drivers’ standings with his second win out of three rounds on the Pirelli International Rally in Carlisle on the weekend of April 29 and 30. Now leading the pack by seven points, the 23-year-old from Dumfries has performed consistently well throughout this season, taking first on Rallye Sunseeker in February and second on the Bulldog International Rally North Wales last month.
Continue ReadingHankook celebrates successful DTM debut
High praise for Hankook came after the company’s first DTM race as exclusive tyre supplier. Following the weekend’s touring car race at the Hockenheim circuit in Germany, viewed by some 58,000 spectators including Hankook Tire executive vice-president and Europe COO Jin-Wook Choi and global CSFO Hyun-Bum Cho, race winner Bruno Spengler declared the Hankook Ventus race tyres to be “very good,” adding that “even though we are running a lot over the kerbs here at Hockenheim, the tyres remained consistent. That is really very good.”
Continue ReadingDunlop joins Isle of Man TT Races commercial portfolio
Dunlop has announced it will be the “Official Tyre Partner” for the 2011 Isle of Man TT races. Allan Bell MHK, minister for economic development commented: “The TT Races commercial programme continues to grow and it is fitting that in the year of the centenary of the Mountain Course, one of the companies that has become synonymous with the event has become a commercial partner.” Eddy Geerdink, Dunlop marketing director, commented: “Dunlop is delighted to become the Official Tyre Partner of the TT Races. The Mountain Course is one of the world’s toughest circuits and our success in the event over the years has provided us with excellent recognition for the performance and technology of our tyres.”
Continue ReadingMetzeler increases two-wheel British motorsport involvement
Following on from its five year deal with the MCE British Superbike Championship, Metzeler has announced that it will increase its involvement in Superstock 1000, 600 and the Triumph Triple Challenge, including a promotional brand unit in the trade areas of each event. Metzeler Racing manager Jason Griffiths commented; “This is a big year for Metzeler as the Superstock classes have never been bigger and we are also proud to supply the tyres for the Triumph Triple Challenge. Just like the bike manufacturers, Metzeler sees real importance in proving the quality of its road based products especially as lap times have continued to tumble. The class is very difficult to predict this year with so many potential winners, it’s going to be a real battle out there I’m sure! We are also supporting the fans more this year with a promotional unit and competitions at every round with top prizes.”
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