According to a report in French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Michelin did not officially bid for the supply of Formula One. The French manufacturer’s Competition manager Paul Shorrock told L’Equipe that while Michelin did hold talks to discuss the possibility of re-entering the sport, the company’s official position remained out while “current regulations” remained “in force in 2011”.
Bridgestone has announced that motorist Vicky Saaiman is the winner of a pair of VIP tickets to this year’s British Grand Prix. Saaiman entered the prize draw as part of Bridgestone’s One Campaign at her local National Tyres and Autocare dealer for a new set of Bridgestone tyres. Vicky’s prize package includes entrance to the Grand Prix itself, a tour of the paddock and the opportunity to meet an F1 team on the day.
Michelin is hoping to walk away with its 13th consecutive win at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. To achieve this, the tyre maker says its engineers, chemists, developers and technicians have prepared a new line-up of even more durable tyres. Working with its partners, Michelin has focused on increasing tyre life without sacrificing performance in other areas. This year the company’s stated goal at the 24 hour race is to quadruple the length of each stint for prototypes and to double them for GT cars.
The new Ma5da MX5 Cup started on 24 April at Snetterton and continues at Rockingham, Brands Hatch and Croft during the season, with a “Winter Championship to take place at Donnington and Brands Hatch in October and November – and Taiwanese manufacturer Federal has announced that it will supply its 595 RS-R sport competition line as the official tyre of the new series throughout the year.
The Nippon Challenge, described as “the nation’s premier racing series for Japanese cars”, will roll out this year with Federal’s new motorsports extreme tyre, FZ-201 semi-slick, as one of the spec tyres. The Taiwanese tyre brand will also be the title sponsor for all of the 14 races over seven weekends between April and October.
The Malcolm Group has switched to a Pirelli and Vaculug tyre policy effective from 1 May 2010. According to the company, the decision was made after an intense product test and tender process which saw the leading truck tyre manufacturers’ pitching their best products for performance comparison. Pirelli fitment for new tyres and Vaculug for retreads were chosen, working with ATS Euromaster as service provider.
Graham Hutchison, Pirelli director of truck UK was obviously pleased with the result: “Tenders can be difficult situations and The Malcolm Group management team and engineers provided a tough and demanding audience, but Pirelli’s range of new ‘01’ products and Vaculug’s retreads proved to be the best.”
The International NorthWest200 came to a close on Saturday 15 May with Dunlop given particular reason to be satisfied with the performance of riders using its tyres. First places in the Superbike, Superstock and Supersport races went to McGuinness, Amor and Hutchinson, all using Dunlop rubber; in total 11 out of the 18 available podium places went to riders using the manufacturer’s products. Company representative Pat Walsh thought the weekend’s successes boded well for the rest of the season: “This impressive start puts us in a good position for the Isle of Man TT which starts in two weeks time.”
Essex-based Jet Wheel Tyre has beaten competition from 65 other tyre dealers across the UK to take the accolade of Pirelli Performance Centre (PPC) of the Year for 2009. Jet Wheel Tyre employs more than 25 staff and is primarily a tyre retailer holding 6,000 tyres in stock, of which 75 per cent are premium performance products.
To test customer service levels each of the 14 platinum PPCs were visited by a mystery shopper, from an independent company, secretly videoing their customer journey. The video was instrumental in deciding the overall winner, and a panel of judges from Pirelli used this, along with a host of other information to award PPC of the year to Jet Wheel Tyre.
TEFORS (Tyre Education for Schools) has announced plans to host a competition for school pupils in North Shield’s on Wednesday 28 April 2010. The event will be held at the United Reformed Church in Northumberland Square, North Shields, with the event commencing at 1:45pm.
The contest will see a local school awarded for its entry in a TEFORS competition which asks the question: “What can you do with a scrap tyre?” In answering this, pupils have to prepare a display and give a two minute presentation, explaining their idea to a panel of judges. This event will be the culmination of several months of hard work for David Bavaird, the man behind (TEFORS). He launched the programme in October 2009, its aim being to educate primary school pupils on the importance of tyre safety and tyre recycling.
Cooper Tire stockists are giving customers buying a set of four designated Cooper tyres between 2 April and 15 May the chance to win a trip for four to one of horse racing’s most glamorous events: Ladies Day at Ascot on 17 June. Purchasers of four qualifying tyres from Cooper’s high-performance or 4×4 ranges will be entered into the free draw to win the prize, which includes a full Royal Ascot hospitality package for four people, plus hotel accommodation and £50 worth of betting vouchers. In addition, the retail site providing the most competition entries will also receive a package for two people.
The HiQ fast fit network says it expected a ‘fast and furious’ start to the British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton on April 4 – and it wasn’t disappointed. The former title sponsor, whose name is now attached to the Teams' Championship, notes that a great deal has already changed since last October’s race at Brands Hatch. However, one thing remained the same in ominous style – Fabrizio Giovanardi made a spectacular return to the grid at the 11th hour under the Uniq Racing with Triple Eight banner, and the Italian two-time winner made easy work of the Thruxton circuit, winning two out of three races. The third and final race was won by Northern Ireland’s Steven Kane, who was back behind a touring car wheel for the first time in a year.
Buffing and grinding tool maker, B&J Rocket has announced plans to launch a second budget brand called Jenson. The Jensen product line consists of most in-demand buffing and grinding tools, with production of the tools remaining at the firm’s Middlebury manufacturing plant.
B&J Rocket’s new second line offers three types of copper carbides like flat faced and round faced buffout wheels as well as most commonly used contour wheels. The blades cover all general applications and fit in all standard buffing hubs. Furthermore they will be available without restrictions through the worldwide network of B&J Rocket.
If Autosport has it right, Michelin is not far from a decision regarding a return to Formula 1, although not as a sole tyre supplier. According to the autosport.com website, the French tyre maker may make an announcement regarding this during April.
The recently appointed manager at Michelin’s factory in Dundee is said to be seeking Scottish Government investment in the plant. Scotland on Sunday reports that John Reid is seeking these funds in order to reassure Michelin in France “that their operation and the commitment they make to a site is valued by the country it operates in.” Reid, who took over as plant manager in January, also said the Dundee factory aims to specialise in tyres designed for the growing electric car market.
Wheel manufacturer and importer Performance Wheels Ltd. has released its 2010 ‘Mini Catalogue’. The A5 sized brochure showcases the company’s latest wheel ranges as well as the popular Cobra suspension range, covering an extensive range of fitments.
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