MOTORSPORT
A new world record for the fastest car on two wheels was set at Seinäjoki Airport on August 31st, when Nokian Tyres’ product development, Vianor’s professional pit crew and well-known stunt driver Vesa Kivimäki combined their strengths. The tyres on the record-breaking car had been reinforced with Nokian Tyres Aramid Sidewall technology and the new record was set at a speed of 186.269 km/h (115.742 mph)
The FIA World Motor Sport Council has selected Cooper Tire Europe as the Official Tyre Supplier and Associate Partner to the FIA World Rallycross Championship for the next three years. The new deal begins in 2017 and sees Cooper, who has been associated with World RX since its inception, continuing supply to the championship.
Jake Dennis claimed his maiden victory in the Pirelli-backed GP3 Series in the first race at Monza last weekend, with compatriots Jack Aitken and Jake Hughes joining him on an all-British podium.
Dennis had been pipped to pole position at the classic Italian circuit by championship leader Charles Leclerc, but was able to pass the Monaco driver for the lead after a few laps. One lap later, Dennis’ team-mate at the Arden squad Jack Aitken – fresh from his first win at Spa-Francorchamps a weekend earlier – moved past Leclerc to take second.
Stephen Petch took victory in the Woodpecker Stages Rally, but it was fellow Pirelli driver Charlie Payne that wrapped up the BTRDA Rally Series crown.
Petch took the lead on the second stage and remained out front until the finish of the Ludlow-based gravel event, triumphing by eight seconds alongside Michael Wilkinson in their Ford Fiesta R5+.
The first official pre-season tests of the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship got underway today in Phillip Island, Australia. Pirelli is supplying a total of four dry solutions (two front and two rear) for today and tomorrow’s tests, as well as intermediate and wet tyres should they be needed. The Supersport category receives two front and two rear solutions for dry conditions, plus intermediate and wet tyres.
Three-time British Touring Car Champion Matt Neal, who is also known for being a director of leading British wheel-maker Rimstock Wheels, is being sponsored by Delphi Product and Service Solutions and The Parts Alliance.
Supported by the manufacturer’s increased original equipment business and its motorsport activities, Kumho’s car tyre range has been reviewed well in the latest round of magazine testing, Its latest high performance product, the Ecsta HS51, was awarded the ‘Recommended’ rating by the highly-regarded German consumer magazine, ACE Lenkrad, for example.
Maxxis International is sponsoring Rob Butler of Off-road Armoury throughout the 2016 Ultra4 Championship. The announcement, which came during the Autosport International 2016, event comes two years after Maxxis announced its title sponsorship with Ultra4 Europe.
Autosport International, which begins today and runs into the weekend at the NEC in Birmingham, we be visited by a real collection of star drivers. Damon Hill OBE will be reunited with his winning Williams FW18 car – exactly 20 years since winning the 1996 Formula 1 World Championship. Revered triple World Champion Petter Solberg joins Hill at Autosport International and will be piloting his Citroen Xsara World Rally car around the confines of the 5000-seater Live Action Arena.
Leading Indian tyre maker MRF Tyres is launching its MRF Motorsport Tyres Europe operation during Autosport International 2016. This means the Indian brand, which is well known on the sub-continent, but has yet to make such a big splash outside Asia, will now be available to UK and European customers.
Northern Irish driver Jon Armstrong beat off nine other finalists to win the Vatanen Touch award at the Drive Dmack Fiesta shoot-out today. The 21-year-old is rewarded with a funded prize drive in next year’s Drive Dmack Fiesta Trophy which takes place over five FIA World Rally Championship rallies. He will drive an M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta R2T.
This year the Macau Grand Prix is taking place for the 62nd time, and for more than half its history Yokohama Rubber has served as exclusive tyre supplier for the Formula 3 race held during the event. The company heads to the Chinese administrative territory as exclusive supplier to the F3 race for the 33rd consecutive year in 2015.
Being decades behind the times isn’t typically a good thing for a tyre maker, but this weekend is different – it is Labor Day weekend in the USA, and Goodyear is supplying a special ‘throwback’ version of its race tyres for the weekend’s NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The tyres form part of a broader throwback initiative at Darlington that will honour the track’s storied past in NASCAR racing during the course of the weekend. Many NASCAR teams and sponsors are also participating by running vintage-style paint schemes.
Pirelli has agreed terms with Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) for its Protyre Motorsport Division to become the official provider of tyre services for two Pirelli-backed motorsport championships in the UK from 2016.
With Kumho the sole tyre supplier to the F1 feeder series Auto GP, the manufacturer invited retailers to Silverstone to witness the UK round of the international championship on Sunday 24 May.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.