Dunlop will supply tyres to 27 cars across all four Le Mans classes in 2016, more than any other year in the millennium. The supplier will transport more than 6,000 tyres using ten trucks; more than 80 personnel will provide fitting, engineering and support. Each class has different regulations and requirements and consequently different tyre specifications.
Dunlop and Aston Martin Racing describe the test of the manufacturer’s GT tyres for the first time in November in Bahrain as “a key turning point for both parties.” Dunlop committed to a full GT class development programme and Aston Martin began a return to lifting trophies. Le Mans is of great importance to both companies who are proud of their respective success there: Dunlop has 34 overall victories, more than any other tyre manufacturer, and Aston Martin took GT class wins in 2007and 2008 and the GTE Am class win in 2014.
Dunlop’s 2016 MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) tyre range has been developed to meet the championship’s two major requirements. First, the two specifications of dry tyre in soft and medium compounds need to handle nine different tracks (as well as an additional hard compound for Thruxton’s abrasive surface). And secondly, they need to handle the wide variety of temperatures across its ten rounds.
Aston Martin Racing’s entries in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) have switched from Michelin to Dunlop tyres for the 2016 season. The team evaluated Dunlop’s motorsport tyres over the winter and, under a new technical partnership, the Dunlop rubber will now be supplied to the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE cars.
Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the 1-2-3 finish achieved by the Ford GT at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and to mark the occasion Ford is returning to the endurance race with an all-new vehicle bearing the Ford GT name. At a recent press conference, Ford shared that it will work towards this goal with Michelin as its exclusive tyre technology partner.
Pirelli has confirmed its deal to sponsor the Village on the Curves at the Le Mans 24-hour race will continue as part of the Italian tyre firm’s agreement with Porsche Club GB. The Village on the Curves is a camping village located on the well-known Porsche Curves, formerly known as the Porsche Owners International Village. Porsche Club GB and Pirelli maintaining a significant presence at this point on the circuit in 2014.
Strakka Racing will switch to running Dunlop tyres on its S103 for both Le Mans and the remainder of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team is testing the Dunlop rubber, used by all other entrants in the WEC LMP2 category at Spa this week and will again at the Le Mans Test Day later this month.
The Michelin shod Audi Sport Team Joest and the Dunlop supplied Jota Sport teams were among the class winners at the 82nd Le Mans 24H. The race was won outright by the LM P1 class No. 1 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro was driven by Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer – their third victory as a trio – in front of 263,300 spectators over the weekend of 14-15 June.
As announced in June 2013, Michelin will debut a new competition at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Michelin Total Performance Award aims to speed up innovation both in relation to racetrack performance and sustainable mobility – and offers €1 million as incentive. The grant will be awarded to the first team that succeeds in fulfilling five criteria relating to performance, longevity and energy efficiency. When these five conditions are met, the million will be ploughed into the financing of research into sustainable mobility by an independent academic institute.
Falken Tire has signed up as a partner to the series formed by the merger of the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series and announced earlier this year. Company officials signed the two-year deal with those from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) – which sanctions the new Tudor United SportsCar Championship – at the SEMA show in the US on 6 November. In addition to being a partner of IMSA and the Tudor Championship, Falken will serve as a tyre supplier for the open-supply GT Le Mans (GTLM) class, one of four classes included in the championship.
Team Falken completed the ALMS season-ending Petit Le Mans on a high note, taking first place in the GT class. Falken’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, prepared by team manager Derrick Walker, was driven by Porsche Works and Falken team driver Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers were again joined by co-driver Nick Tandy, who previously ran with the duo at Sebring.
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.
Pirelli will sponsor the camping area situated on the Porsche Curves formerly known as the Porsche Owners International Village at Le Mans this weekend. Pirelli UK managing director, Dominic Sandivasci, commented: “We are delighted to sponsor the race camping village at Le Mans once again this year. Simply put, there is no better place to watch the race action than the Porsche Curves and the Pirelli camping village caters for everyone’s needs.”
Michelin and BMW Motorsport have announced plans to join forces to contest the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2013. According to the two companies, this means the German carmaker’s BMW Z4 GTE and BMW Z4 GT3 cars will run on Michelin ‘Ultimate’ endurance racing tyres. The 2013 programme’s first competitive outing will be the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, USA, on 16 March.
One of Britain’s present F1 talents, Paul Di Resta made his Autosport debut during the course of the 2012 event. This year he is one of a number of motorsport driving stars to visit the event.
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