Yokohama has marked its 30th Autosport International show with a number of new partnerships in motorsport. In rallying, the tyre manufacturer has extended its support for grass roots and developing drivers in a new partnership with Harper Adams Motorsport Team.
Yokohama’s motorsport department is ready for another year of high-profile action on the track, as the tyre manufacturer’s UK division demonstrated at Autosport International 2019. In competitive motorsport, Yokohama will provide tyres for a series of high-profile championship and individual driver support programmes on both the race track and the rally stage.
Yokohama has called 2018 one of the most high profile and busiest in recent years for its motorsport operation. The manufacturer’s products have been action in rallying and on the circuit, where Yokohama launched its support of the major new TCR series in the UK. The company also continued its ongoing support for a number of promising young drivers and grassroots motorsport.
The 2018 TCR UK season, supported by tyre supplier Yokohama, is to go down to the wire at its Donington Park finale this coming weekend. Pyro Motorsport’s Ollie Taylor reignited his championship challenge behind the wheel of his Honda Civic in Yokohama-supported TCR UK series at Croft circuit, leaving the series finely poised.
After a successful season that has surpassed all expectations, Scottish rally team JJ Rally will head to the forests of Wales next week to compete in Wales Rally GB National Rally on Yokohama’s A053. Competing in a Hyundai i20 R5 piloted by John Wink and co-driver John Forrest, the pair will be using their debut experience of the event last year alongside their extended testing programme in 2018, which has seen them secure an impressive third place overall in the MSA Scottish Rally Championship.
Reigning British Touring Car Champion, Ash Sutton, made his debut in the TCR UK Series this weekend at Oulton Park, taking victory in both races and heaping praise on his Yokohama tyres in the process.
TCR UK will make its debut at Castle Combe circuit in Wiltshire on 14-15 July as it enters rounds seven and eight. The race weekend marks the halfway point in the first ever Yokohama-backed series.
Following the opening round at Silverstone in April, the Yokohama-supported TCR UK race series heads north for its Scottish debut this coming weekend. Twelve cars have been confirmed for the series’ first visit to Knockhill circuit in Fife. The series aims to offer an emphasis on close racing and excitement for spectators.
Daniel Lloyd claimed victories in both opening rounds of the inaugural TCR UK Series at Silverstone. In changeable conditions, series tyre supplier Yokohama said it was happy with the performance of its A005 slick and A006 wet tyres.
Yokohama announced that it has been selected as the official tyre supplier to the TCR UK series at the 2018 Autosport International show, which continues over this weekend. The manufacturer expects the new touring car series to attract a great deal of attention from both teams and fans, with plenty of action-packed wheel to wheel racing a hallmark of touring car series. Several TCR series run around the globe, and the top competitors in the seven-event UK series are expected to join a global event towards the end of the season. TCR UK commences at Silverstone circuit on 31 March.
Former recipient of the Yokohama Next Big Step award Ed Fossey has secured his maiden championship in his first full year of rallying. Fossey won the 1400 BTRDA rally championship title at the Trackrod Stages rally in Yorkshire on Saturday, 30 September. After taking several class podiums already this season, Fossey and his co-driver Chris Shapre-Simkiss knew that a class victory in their Yokohama-shod Toyota Yaris would be enough to clinch the 2017 title.
Rod McGovern won overall victory in the Yokohama-backed, 2017 Seat Supercup Ireland Championship this weekend, having finished runner-up in the last two seasons. Driving for Mick Merrigan Motorsport, McGovern clinched the title at Kirkstown Motor Racing Circuit when he took a fourth place finish in round ten of the series, securing an unassailable lead with two races of the season still remaining.
Yokohama motorsport is anticipating “one of the most exciting seasons in recent times” in the manufacturer’s centenary year from its stand at Autosport International. In addition to launching the Advan A052 road-legal track tyre, it will support high-profile FIA circuit racing through to grass roots rallying and rallycross.
With its tyres used by competitors in more than 26 motorsport championships in the UK alone, Yokohama continued its support in 2016 for young drivers across the three main motorsport disciplines; circuit racing, rallying and rallycross.
Yokohama HPT, the Japanese tyre manufacturer’s UK distributor, will continue to support young drivers and their progression through motorsport in the UK in 2016. YHPT will continue to support starter forms of motorsport for young drivers as well as a route to allow them to progress through the ranks in the three main disciplines: circuit racing, rallying and rallycross.
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