Rosberg prevails in Italy as mix of strategies sees all 3 Pirelli compounds employed
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg won the Italian Grand Prix from second on the grid using a one-stop strategy – the winning strategy in recent years as well – starting on the P Zero Yellow soft tyre, and then switching to the P Zero medium halfway through the race. His teammate Lewis Hamilton finished second with an identical strategy. The mix of strategies on show is proven by the fact that Rosberg and Hamilton were the only two drivers who qualified in the top 10 to start the race on the soft tyre. Pirelli says this gave them the possibility to drive a longer first stint than the supersoft starters, forming the key strategic battle for the podium.
Continue ReadingSpeedline Truck supports local hero in Hungary
The fifth race in this years season of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship was held from August 26 - 28 at the Hungaroring circuit near Budapest. The Speedline Truck Team was on hand with its regional trading partners to cheer on local hero Norbert Kiss, but, sadly, he did not emerge victorious.
Continue ReadingWEC – AMR car reverts to Michelin tyres for remainder of season
After choosing to kit out its GTE factory team cars on Dunlop rubber for 2016, Aston Martin Racing reports that its #98 GTE AM entry will revert to Michelin tyres for the rest of the current FIA World Endurance Championship season. It appears the Vantage GTE driven by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda will be fitted with Michelins for the remaining races as the drivers have struggled with the Dunlop tyres, which like all tyres used in GTE AM feature 2015-specification compounds. Aston Martin Racing shares that Dalla Lana, together with the team, requested the change.
Continue ReadingPirelli travels to Cadwell Park for British Superbike Championship
Pirelli will visit Cadwell Park and its spectacular “Mountain jump” this weekend. The challenging, undulating course, with a fast flowing first section (Coppice, Charlies, Park and Chris Curve) followed by a tight, technical section (Club Hairpin, Mountain, Hall Bends, Hairpin and Barn) means conflicting set-up requirements, while the choice of tyres is likely dependent on the weather.
Continue ReadingDmack takes win, while Pirelli claims 4 of top 5 spots in ‘wet and wild’ Ulster Rally
Dmack drivers Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry were crowned 2016 MSA British Rally champions after sealing their fourth overall victory on a difficult Ulster Rally. It was the Welsh pair’s fourth overall rally win from five finishes, moving them into an unbeatable position in the series with one round still remaining. Evans, from Dolgellau in mid-Wales, followed in the footsteps of his father Gwyndaf – who won the British Rally Championship exactly 20 years ago. Using Dmack’s range of recently launched tarmac rally tyres, he and Parry finished over a minute ahead of the competition after winning half of the 14 demanding special stages.
Continue ReadingPirelli previews Belgian grand prix
Recommencing the Formula One season following a short summer break, Pirelli will supply its P Zero White medium, Yellow soft, and Red supersoft compounds to teams at the Belgian grand prix. Held at Spa-Francorchamps on 25-28 August 2016, Pirelli calls the track “one of the most epic drivers’ circuits of them all,” comprising as it does the longest lap of the year at 7.004 kilometres, which places high energy loads through the tyres. Pirelli calls the challenge of Spa multi-faceted for the tyres with a changeable microclimate providing a constant additional parameter for the strategists to consider.
Continue ReadingRealignment within Firestone race tyre team announced
A number of changes have been announced within the Race Tire Development (RTD) arm of the North America-based Firestone Racing programme. Bridgestone Americas describes these as a reorganisation and opines that they will add “manufacturing expertise while reaffirming the brand’s commitment to innovation and the Verizon IndyCar Series.”
Continue ReadingDunlop, Honda pit Isle of Man TT legend against double BTCC champion: video
Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion Gordon Shedden has taken on 23-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness on each other’s race-winning machinery. Hosted by Dunlop and Honda, the head-to-head took place at Scotland’s Knockhill circuit on Monday. Shedden swapped his race-winning Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type R for McGuinness’ Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP for 30 laps of the Scottish track. (See full article for the video.)
Continue ReadingPirelli looks to add to BRC asphalt success on Ulster Rally
Pirelli will supply its crews with the P Zero RK range of asphalt tyres, including the RK7B medium compound, as it seeks another strong showing at the Ulster Rally, the latest stage in the British Rally Championship. Pirelli locked out the podium places on the one previous all-Tarmac event this season – the Circuit of Ireland in April – and will be supplying a strong contingent of drivers on the 19-20 August event.
Continue Reading80 supercars line up at Salon Privé for Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition
Pirelli has unveiled the line-up for this year’s Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition. The event, held at Blenheim Palace on 3 September, includes some of the greatest supercars of the last forty years. Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, and Pagani will feature among 25 auto brands in eight different classes, while Lamborghini and Porsche have special celebration classes.
Continue ReadingDmack Fiesta Trophy title race switches to tarmac
Drive Dmack Fiesta Trophy crews face a terrific Tarmac test when the penultimate round of the 2016 series takes place in Germany next week. After three outings on gravel stages, the nine crews will switch to asphalt roads at ADAC Rallye Deutschland where two more prize drives are up for grabs. As the only all-asphalt round of the five-event campaign, and with highly-prized Trophy points up for grabs, it promises to be a captivating encounter. Dmack has also unveiled its latest WRC tarmac tyres, produced in Melksham, UK as part of the brand’s growing relationship with Avon Motorsport.
Continue ReadingDmack launches new, British manufactured WRC asphalt tyre range
Dmack has continued to improve its position in the FIA World Rally Championship with recent Drive Dmack team success, supported by newly launched, British manufactured tyres. Following its new gravel tyre range earlier in the 2016 season, the brand is bringing its new range of tarmac tyres to next weeks ADAC Rallye Deutschland – the first all-asphalt round of the series. Playing its mid-season joker, which permits the firm to homologate a new specification asphalt tyre, Dmack will debut a revised version of its dry weather DMT-RC2 along with the all-new DMT-W full wet pattern.
Continue ReadingCooper headline sponsor of European rally car show, Rallyday
Cooper Tire Europe has announced its headline sponsorship of Rallyday 2016. Europe’s premier rally car show is an annual event held at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire, taking place this year on Saturday 24 September. The show features star drivers and cars, entertaining thousands of fans in the paddocks, 4x4 Zone and on the track for the 16th year running.
Continue ReadingLamborghini double on Pirelli tyres in British GT
Phil Keen and Jon Minshaw claimed a double British GT win in their Lamborghini Huracan GT3 in the penultimate event of the Pirelli-equipped series at Snetterton. The results move Barwell Motorsport drivers Keen and Minshaw to the top of the drivers’ standings in the GT3 class with just one race remaining at Donington Park on September 10-11. The victory in race one came despite a clash with the BMW Z4 GT3 of Joe Osborne that sent the Lamborghini into a spin.
Continue ReadingWorld record for Federal-Mogul Motorparts
Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, supplied its latest Ferodo and Champion products to a world record-breaking road trip. Covering over 15,000km across the entire Eurasian continent between the city of Magadan, Russia and the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, the drive was completed in six days, nine hours and 38 minutes, beating the previous record of eight days and 15 hours. The team drove a Volkswagen Touareg, which used Ferodo brake products and Champion glow plugs, filters and wipers.
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