Hankook has continued to increase its reputation as a motorsport tyre supplier in DTM this year. Looking back on the season following the final action at the Hockenheimring, Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsports director Europe, explained that the increased emphasis on tyres has been a pleasing element of 2013.
The DTM season ends this weekend at the same place where it began in May, the Hockenheimring. While the drivers’ title has already been won by Mike Rockenfeller (Audi), and Augusto Farfus’s overall second place is unassailable, the BMW could achieve the rare feat of claiming two DTM races in the same year at the course in Hardtwald. In the third year of its involvement in the touring car series, exclusive tyre partner Hankook’s newly developed option tyres have provided an extra dimension to every DTM race.
Previewing this weekend’s DTM racing at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Hankook’s racing engineer has predicted that the company’s softer option tyre could prove the difference for the cars able to use it best. Michael Eckert explained: "I expect that the option tyres will enable a large number of fast laps before any significant drop-off effect becomes discernible here at Oschersleben. The teams who are able to find the right vehicle set-up with which to make optimum use of the Ventus Race Plus will be among those to land the front positions.”
Uniwheels’ has been selected to provide OE wheels for the new Audi A8 Hybrid. The contract sees Uniwheels provide its “19-inch hybrid aluminium wheel”, which is said to offer an exclusive aerodynamic design.
Robert Wickens scored the maiden victory of his DTM career in difficult wet and drying conditions at the Nürburgring. The Mercedes-Benz driver coped best with the changeable conditions, moving from seventh on the grid to the front of the field. The race was stopped after 47 of the scheduled 49 laps, because the maximum duration of 75 minutes had been reached. Tyre supplier Hankook provided the wet, base-line slick and faster option tyres to help the teams adapt to different conditions and to use flexible race tactics.
Last month, Pirelli announced its production of a quieter tyre for original equipment customer Audi, but it hasn’t been the only tyre maker working on noise reduction solutions with its customer; the German car maker has also developed a very similar product with another major tyre supplier, Continental.
With British winters becoming unpredictable over the last few years, there is no better time for consumers to seriously consider the benefits of fitting winter tyres. In light of this Japanese manufacturer Yokohama offers reasons why its winter and all-season tyres could be what you are looking for.
The brand’s range of winter tyres, known as W.drive, consists of something for everyone, from daily runaround to high performance super-saloon and even light commercials.
At first glance, sponges and in-car noise levels don’t seem to have much in common. Yet this springy material, much loved by those with a penchant for cleanliness, has found its way into a tyre Pirelli has developed for original equipment customer Audi, and the Italian tyre maker says the tyre reduces noise considerably.
Continental says it “recently received a whole raft of approvals” from Audi. The ContiSportContact 5 summer tyre has been approved for both the Audi A3 and A8, while in future the A6, A6 Allroad, A7 and RS 6 Quattro will be equipped with the sportier ContiSportContact 5 P. In all, five tyre sizes for 19 to 21-inch rims have been homologated. The Continental tyres fitted as original equipment on most of the above Audi models will bear the letters ‘AO’ (Audi Original parts) on the sidewall, and in future these tyres will also be available to order from Audi dealerships and specialist tyre dealers. Tyres for the Audi RS will bear the sidewall marking ‘R01’.
Michelin’s LMP1 tyres, which helped Audi’s hybrid car to victory in the 90th Le Mans 24 hour race, have been put to record-breaking use by Lord Drayson. Drayson Racing Technologies’ B12 69/EV electric Le Mans Prototype set a new electric land speed record, smashing the previous 40 year-old 175mph record by 29.2mph. The record-breaking run took place at Elvington Airfield near York on the evening of 25 June, 2013.
In the weekend’s DTM action, drivers were able to demonstrate the strategies made possible by exclusive tyre partner Hankook’s new option tyre in front of 65,000 fans at the Lausitzring. Four of the five fastest drivers started the race with the Ventus Race Plus that allows for faster times for a few laps before the intended drop-off sets in. Other drivers started with the base-line slick tyre and later changed to the option to try to make up lost ground in the first stint. Mercedes-Benz driver Gary Paffett scored his first race win of this DTM season and the first success of the Stuttgart car manufacturer.
Goodyear has released its latest all-season performance tyre in North America. Initial sizes of the Eagle Sport All-Season are now available, and the tyre maker says the full line-up of 47 sizes will be on offer by the end of 2013. Goodyear says the Eagle Sport All-Season is suited for a wide range of vehicles, from the Honda Accord to the Audi A4 and Ford Mustang.
Janne Laitinen is the fastest driver on ice….in the world. The Finnish test driver teamed up with Nokian Tyres to break the record on the ice covering the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea’s northerly cul-de-sac. For the record attempt on 9 March, Laitenen drove an Audi RS6 fitted with size 255/35R20 97 T XL Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tyres. In freezing winter weather, Laitenen’s Nokian-shod car reached an eye watering 208.602 mph (335.713 km/h).
In addition to debuting its Alnac 4G, Apollo Tyres has released its latest Vredestein-branded product at the Geneva Motor Show. This new Apollo Vredestein release is the Ultrac Vorti R, an ultra high performance tyre with an “increased focus on grip and sportiness.” The Ultrac Vorti R was developed in collaboration with Italian design house, Giugiaro.
Franchised vehicle dealers believe there has been an overall improvement in the day to day relationship with their manufacturer. Sales incentive programmes and improved profitability boosted partnerships, according to the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Dealer Attitude Survey Winter 2012/2013 results.
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