Motorsport Archives - Page 106 of 129 - Tyrepress

MOTORSPORT

Posts

Matador Motorsport Victorious at Pezinská Baba Hill Climb

During the weekend of 21 to 22 July, the European hill climb championships took place at Pezinská Baba. Matador entered the history books with several entries. One of them can be attributed to an excellent performance by Czech driver Marek Fried in the E1 category of touring vehicles.

Marek Fried (driving a BMW M3 GT3) collected absolute victory in the touring vehicle category with a time of 2:17.062 he broke the last year´s record set by Štefan Rosina junior. His victory is a triumph for Matador as well, since Fried has used the manufacturer’s tyres throughout the series. “The motivation for victory of our team was even greater at Baba, because it was our home environment and we used tires from Matador which were excel-lent,” said the team manager Robert Šenkýř after the event.

In the N-category of the hill-climb racing the victory was taken by the Slovak pilot of Matador Motorsport Peter Jureňa with Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX. With overall combined time of 4:50.077. First runner up was Miroslav Jakeš, 2,100 ahead of third-place Jiří Voves.

10th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Avon Shows Appreciation to Race Marshals

The tireless work of motorsport marshals, the unpaid and often unsung behind the scenes workers at motor racing events, has been acknowledged by Avon tyres and MotorSport Vision Racing. Marshals in possession of a MSVR membership card are now entitled to a 15 per cent discount on any new set of Avon Tyres purchased from a National Tyres outlet. Discounts on other services offered by National Tyres are also available as part of the programme.

“Those of us lucky enough to race cars are indebted to the unpaid work these people do,” explained Julian Baldwin, managing director of Cooper Tire Europe and head of Avon Tyres motorsport. “Not only are they on hand should you run out of talent on a corner, or come to some other mishap, but if they weren’t out there in their familiar orange suits, we wouldn’t have racing cars lining up on the grid at all! That’s why Avon is happy to be giving something back to motorsport’s backroom boys and girls.”

During every racing season more than 2,200 people from around the UK volunteer to marshal at various motor racing events.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

F1 Tyre Rule Change for 2008 Rumoured

A German motor racing magazine has disclosed that Formula One decision makers may be in favour of modifying the championship’s tyre regulations for the 2008 season. Auto Motor und Sport magazine reported on July 30 that Bridgestone could be asked to offer a wider selection of tyre compounds at each grand prix – a move intended to increase the strategy options available to participating teams.

The championship’s smaller teams are reportedly more strongly behind the idea, while the major players have given a lukewarm response to any such changes. Bridgestone too is said to be less than enthusiastic, as implementing the proposed changes for next year’s season would involve additional expense and preparatory work.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

WTCC Goes Green in Sweden

In anticipation of the FIA World Touring Car Championship’s switch to the use of bio-ethanol control fuel for 2009, the upcoming round at Anderstorp in Sweden will see a one-off outing in the championship for Volvo, with the Polestar-run, ethanol-powered S60. The car will be driven by Robert Dahlgren, who has already won two rounds of the Swedish Touring Car Championship and will be the first time a car running to the FIA’s Super2000 regulations will use the fuel in the WTCC.

A development programme will take place throughout the 2008 season, the third using Yokohama Advan as control tyres, which have recently been confirmed as control tyres for 2008 and 2009. Every manufacturer, with the support of Yokohama and other sponsors and partners, will help evaluate different fuel options to determine the ideal solution to reduce the fossil-fuel component, before approval by the FIA.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Confirms F1 Tyre Choices

Following three days of testing at Belgium’s recently reconfigured Spa-Francorchamps circuit Bridgestone has deemed the time right to reveal the tyre compounds to be used by competitors for the final races of the 2007 season.

“Last week’s (July 10-12) test at Spa provided the final pieces of information we needed before we could confirm our choices of Bridgestone Potenza compound for the remainder of the season,” said Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport head of Track Engineering Operations.

The usual soft and medium compounds will be put into play at the Italian, Belgian and Japanese Grands Prix, while the race in Shanghai will see the use of medium and hard compound tyres. At the season finale in Brazil Bridgestone has opted to make use of the soft and super soft tyres.

23rd July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Truck Racing Heads to Dunlop’s Great & British Festival

The Dunlop Great & British Festivals heads to Thruxton for a “larger-than-life” weekend of racing on 21 & 22 July. For a second year, the Dunlop Great & British Festivals will be at Thruxton and the UK’s biggest supported one make series will form the core of the action at the event. Alongside the core ‘Great & British’ Championships of the Dunlop Radical EnDuro, the Dunlop Radical BiDuro and the MINI Challenge, will be the British and International Truck Racing Championships.

16th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

F1 Gives Indianapolis the Red Flag

The famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway will not resound to the screeching of Bridgestone Formula One tyres in 2008 following the decision to scrap the event after eight lukewarm years. Bernie Ecclestone’s verdict on the race was announced on July 12, a decision that the speedway’s CEO hopes will be a temporary one.

“It’s my sincere hope that we’ll have the opportunity to bring it back in the not-too-distant future,” said speedway CEO Tony George. “Eight years ago, it was our intent to host this event on an annual basis. While I still hold hope for the future that we’ll be able to bring it back, its tough to have a hiatus like this, and I view it as such. I’m going to continue to work on this to try to bring it back to the best of my ability as soon as possible.”

The US Grand Prix on average attracted around 125,000 spectators, which while respectable in terms of F1 attendance was smaller than any other event held at the speedway. In comparison, attendance at the Indianapolis 500 has been estimated at around 300,000 people. George believes the US Grand Prix could have drawn larger crowds had it been given the opportunity to better establish itself through sponsorship and the media.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone European Technical Centre to produce GP2 Tyres

Bridgestone Corporation, sole tyre supplier for both Formula 1 and the GP2 Series, has decided to base GP2 Series tyre production and quality control at its Technical Centre Europe (TCE), on the edge of Rome. The output will be warehoused in the UK, at the Bridgestone Motorsport facility in Langley.

Until now, all GP2 race tyre development and production has been centred in Tokyo. Although, for the time being, design and development will continue to be carried out in Japan, the rationale for the new arrangement is twofold. Firstly, the addition of a second manufacturing site provides a safeguard against the risk of supply bottlenecks in this highly demanding environment. Secondly, GP2 race tyres supplied from Europe for European races will incur lower transport mileage costs and will have a lower environmental impact.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone European Technical Centre to produce GP2 Tyres

Bridgestone Corporation, sole tyre supplier for both Formula 1 and the GP2 Series, has decided to base GP2 Series tyre production and quality control at its Technical Centre Europe (TCE), on the edge of Rome. The output will be warehoused in the UK, at the Bridgestone Motorsport facility in Langley.

Until now, all GP2 race tyre development and production has been centred in Tokyo. Although, for the time being, design and development will continue to be carried out in Japan, the rationale for the new arrangement is twofold. Firstly, the addition of a second manufacturing site provides a safeguard against the risk of supply bottlenecks in this highly demanding environment. Secondly, GP2 race tyres supplied from Europe for European races will incur lower transport mileage costs and will have a lower environmental impact.

12th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop to Supply V8 Series Down-Under

Dunlop has won its third consecutive contract to supply its control tyre to teams participating in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series from 2008 to 2012. Since 2002, Dunlop has been the sole tyre supplier to the V8 Supercar Championship Series and Fujitsu Series, providing and servicing more than 9,000 tyres per year.

Judith Swales, managing director & CEO of South Pacific Tyres, which owns and operates Dunlop in Australia, is very excited about TEGA’s appointment of Dunlop as the Series’ official control tyre supplier. “Dunlop has a long and proud association with motorsport in Australia and around the world, and TEGA’s decision to award us the tyre contract highlights their confidence in our ability to supply a high-quality tyre — and an experienced and efficient operations group — to service the race teams,” Swales said.

10th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula 1 and Bridgestone Head to Silverstone

Formula One is coming to Silverstone on the weekend of 7-8 July. The British Grand Prix, round nine of the FIA Formula One World Championship, will see Bridgestone’s medium and hard compound Potenzas put through their paces on the circuit’s high-speed layout and abrasive surfaces. With rain featuring strongly in recent UK weather patterns Bridgestone’s wet and extreme wet Potenzas may also get their chance to come into play.

Bridgestone Motorsport head of Track Engineering Operations Kees van de Grint has spoken about the upcoming British Grand Prix:

What are the challenges of the Silverstone circuit?

“Although the circuit is not as fast as it used to be it is still a very fast track with an average speed over the lap of 230 kph. The majority of the lap is very fast and in top gears so cars require fast corner stability and the tyres need to have good heat and wear resistance, which is why we will bring the hardest tyres in our range. The whole lap is not high speed however, as the lower speed complex at the end of the lap is where time can be lost or found. Tyre grip and minimizing graining will be deciding factors here.”

6th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Adds to UK Sales Force

Firestone has appointed a new Area Sales Manager to cover the Midlands and Wales. Martin Stanley has over 27 years experience within the tyre trade spanning consumer, commercial, motorsport and most importantly, agricultural sectors. He has worked for Dunlop, Europa and Goodyear.

Commenting on the new role, Martin said: “There are lots of opportunities to develop the business in the area. My job will be made easier by the fact that Firestone has invested heavily in developing new premium tyres that perform as well as, or better than the most expensive tyres in the market – yet are competitively priced. With the new product and size expansion program, it means that there will be a new tyre launched every month between now and 2011. No other manufacturer is showing this commitment to the agricultural market. The expanding sales force is further evidence of this.”

5th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Continue Supplying WTCC Control Tyre

Yokohama has announced it will continue to supply its global flagship “Advan” brand as the control tyre for the 2008 and 2009 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). Yokohama has been the official WTCC tyre supplier since 2006, during which time the Advan tyres have met all the FIA’s sporting and technical requirements.

In 2007 WTCC races are being staged in nine European countries, plus Brazil and China. For each of the races Yokohama supplies the Advan A005 240/610R17 for dry and the Advan A006 230/610R17 for wet conditions. Both of these tyres were developed based on experience the tyremaker has gained through its participation in motorsport, and Yokohama believes the WTCC tyres achieve a good level of balance between speed and durability.

4th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Punch International Acquires Wheel Manufacturer BBS

Belgium’s Punch International NV, the diversified industrial holding company headquartered in Sint-Martens-Latem, announced on June 29 that it has taken over BBS, the German developer and producer of lightweight wheels for premium segment sports and passenger cars. BBS is currently listed on the Frankfurt and Stuttgart stock exchanges but was declared bankrupt in May 2007, however the company is now expected to make a positive contribution to the Punch group’s net profit as soon as it the acquisition is finalised.

Punch will take over all the bankrupt company’s assets as of 1 August 2007, subject to the transaction’s approval by the antitrust authority. The acquired assets will include those of BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG and BBS Motorsport & Engineering GmbH, the brand name BBS and the activities of the company’s plants in Schiltach and Herbolzheim, Germany. The transaction also comprises the takeover of all the shares of the American sales subsidiary BBS of America, Inc and the redemption of all lease contracts in progress. BBS has an extensive portfolio of technology patents, which is also included in the takeover. Funds for the acquisition are drawn from a combination of the proceeds of the private placement dated 7 June 2007 and a bank loan. The activities taken over will continue under the name BBS International GmbH and become integrated in the Punch Motive division of the Punch group.

29th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Wins LMP2 Class At Le Mans

The LMP2 class-winning Lola Zytek of Binnie Motorsports was shod with Kumho tyres – an historic achievement for the Korean tyre manufacturer, who was competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for only the third time. Kumho was supporting both the Binnie Motorsports entry, comprised of Bill Binnie (US), Allen Timpany (GB) and Chris Buncombe (GB), and the Kruse Motorsport Pescarolo Judd of Tony Burgess (Can), Jean de Pourtales (Fr) and Norbert Siedler (Aut). The Binnie Car won LMP2 outright and finished 18th overall. Sadly the Kruse car did not survive the full 24 hours.

Both teams used a new wider front tyre designed to help improve performance. Kumho developed new tyre constructions and compounds specifically for Le Mans and the teams were able to choose from two slick compounds, one intermediate and one wet. Said Bill Binnie: “We experienced just about every type of weather during the race from dry/warm conditions to torrential rain and used Kumho’s full arsenal of tyres as a result. They all performed admirably and were a key element of our victory.”

26th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors