MOTORSPORT
This weekend’s French Grand Prix, was a lot more straight forward than last month’s US race – Renault and Michelin’s Fernando Alonso won what commentators described as an emphatic victory. Mclaren’s Kimi Raikonnen took second place, while Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher filled the last remaining podium position. Jenson Button gained his first points of the season by taking fourth place (Button’s San Marino result was annulled after BAR were disqualified).
Federal Tire has expanded its Federal Motorsport line with the introduction of the FZ-101, the first slick tyre in the FZ Combat Series. Exclusively produced in limited numbers for professional use only. Engineers at Federal are reported to have collaborated closely with Japanese racing professionals to deliver a tyre best suited to their needs.
FIA, the world motorsports governing body, has found the seven F1 teams that pulled out of the US Grand Prix guilty on two charges, but has deferred punishment. The compromise is seen as a way of buying time for the international motorsports series to recover. The teams – Renault, McLaren, Williams, Toyota, Sauber, Red Bull and BAR – were found guilty of failing to arrive at Indianapolis with proper tyres and wrongfully refusing to allow their cars to race after Michelin issued a safety warning.
However, the teams were cleared of charges of failing to inform race stewards of their intention not to race, refusing to race subject to a speed limit and combining to put on a spectacle damaging to Formula One. Punishment was deferred until 14 September. The FIA cannot punish Michelin directly.
Having completed an internal investigation into why its tyres were not suitable for the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, Michelin has found that its tyres were the wrong specification, rather than faulty. “The tyres were not intrinsically flawed, but were insufficiently suited to the extreme racing conditions encountered through Turn 13 of the Indianapolis circuit this year”, an official statement read.
Dunlop Motorsport has confirmed that is has signed a deal with EERC (European Endurance Racing Club). The agreement will see the manufacturer act as sole tyre supplier to the Britcar and Production S1 series including the Willhire 5 HR and Silverstone 24 hour events until 2008. In addition the Birmingham based Motorsport operation is committing to support the championship with team incentives and marketing activities. Dunlop is the sole tyre supplier and has been involved with the championship since its inception.
Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, has published charges against the seven Michelin supplied teams that declined to take part in Sunday’s disastrous US Grand Prix. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said teams had “committed one or more acts prejudicial to the interests of a competition and the interests of motor sport in general.”
Specific charges alleged that teams failed to ensure that they had a supply of suitable tyres for the race. Perhaps most controversially, the teams were also accused of making “a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits immediately before the start of the race”.
Bridgestone has put itself forward to be the sole F1 tyre supplier if Max Mosley’s 2008 regulations come into place.
“We want to showcase our technology,” said the manufacturer’s technical manager Hisao Suganuma, “even with a one make situation. We want to be in Formula One.”
FIA president, Mosley, claims that imposing a single slick tyre would improve safety and reduce the need to test.
It will also ensure that no team is affected by being “contracted to the ‘wrong’ supplier”, an FIA dossier read.
Federal Corporation held its annual shareholder meeting in Chungli, Taiwan last week announcing the launch of “Federal Motorsport.” The manufacturer’s new tyre lines, are a result of “years of intense research and testing by Federal Technical Center (FTC),” said Jamie Ma, president of Federal Tire.
Two distinct series’ will make up Federal Motorsport – the street-legal 595 Competition Series and the exclusive, limited production FZ Combat Series for professional circuit use.
Michael Schumacher, one of Formula 1’s most successful drivers, is not having fun in the sport and may retire soon, his brother Ralph told the Sport Bild Newspaper on Wednesday. “I don’t believe that Michael will be driving for very much longer,” Toyota driver Ralph told the German sports publication.
If Michelin can continue its recent run of Formula 1 success by winning in Montreal, the French tyre maker could find itself moving up a place in the sport’s list of all-time greats. Goodyear is top of the pile when it comes to F1 tyres suppliers, but this is mainly due to its position as exclusive supplier for many years. Goodyear leads with 368 victories (between 1962 and 1998), while Bridgestone is in second place with 94 victories (1997 to 2004). Dunlop has clocked up 83 successes (1958 to 1970).
The Yokohama Rubber Co, Ltd, today announced that it will support five cars from four teams in the 73rd Le Mans 24 hour rance, due to be held 18–19 June at the Sarthe Circuit in France. The company will support the Courage Competition works team in the LMP1 Class and will supply specially developed racing tyres to two entries from the veteran French chassis constructor.
In the LM-GT Class, Yokohama will assist Porsche works team Alex Job Racing/BAM, Seikel Motorsport, and T2M Motorsports. Alex Job Racing/BAM will run on tires that it developed jointly with Yokohama. Seikel Motorsport and T2M Motorsports will use tyres based on the Super GT that Yokohama modified with especially for Le Mans.
In the UK the implementation of nitrogen inflation is still a relatively new topic. But when ATS Euromaster began a nitrogen inflation trial at 25 of its UK outlets earlier this year, it stirred interest about the subject within the market.
Fernando Alonso snatched victory from McLaren’s Kimi Raikonnen on the last lap of the European Grand Prix. The Renault driver was able to extend his championship lead to 32 points after the Finnish driver crashed out due to the suspension failure caused by the flatspotting of his front right tyre.
Williams’ Nick Heidfeld and Ferrari’s Rubens Barichello joined Alonso on the podium, followed by the Red Bull of David Coulthard, the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher, Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella and McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya. Jarno Trulli filled the last point scoring postion.
Avon Tyres has renewed its association with Castle Combe circuit and has agreed a new contract to provide tyres to its racing school.
The tyre manufacturer has been involved with the track for 50 years making it the longest motorsport sponsorship in the world.
It would be something of an understatement to say that high raw material costs, the weak dollar and unprecedented competition from the Far East is affecting UK alloy wheel manufacturing. But, in the cases of the selection of companies that Tyres & Accessories spoke to, it is more a question of ingenuity triumphing over adversity. So, in the face of such pressing circumstances, how are UK manufacturers holding firm? Work smarter, not necessarily harder, they say.
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