MOTORSPORT
When the Dunlop shod Suzuki Endurance Racing Team took the chequered flag at the 8 Hours of Doha on November 14, the result ensured not only race victory but also victory in the whole 2010 FIM World Endurance Championship. Half of the season’s top-ten ranked bikes rode on Dunlop, and the tyre maker points out that this championship victory marks the eighth occasion in which Dunlop has clinched the world title in the last ten years.
Avon’s Roadrider is a comprehensive range of cross-ply tyres for road-going and classic racing motorcycles. During 2009, Avon decided to produce a number of different fitments, all V-speed rated, which would allow the retailer to carry much less stock but be able to cover a large number of diverse motorcycle models. This strategy was rewarded at the start of 2010 at the British Dealer News Industry Awards. Having polled more than 500 UK motorcycle dealerships the Avon Roadrider received a Certificate of Merit in the Best Aftermarket Product category.
The British Racing and Sports Car Club has chosen Avon Tyres to supply tyres to both of its Formula Ford 1600 Championships for the next three years, and will also support the club to help it promote its showpiece event – the Formula Ford Festival. “Naturally, we’re delighted to have secured the agreement to supply FF1600 for another three years,” said Paul Coates, general manager, Avon Tyres Motorsport. “We’re very keen to work with the BRSCC on further initiatives to secure the long-term future of FF1600.”
One of off-road racing's toughest tests, Yokohama Tire-sponsored racers took on the SCORE Baja 1000 between 17 and 20 November using the manufacturer’s Geolander M/T+ tyres. Heidi Steele achieved a third-place finish in Class 6 for unlimited, production mini trucks. Driving her customary Ford Ranger, Steele, the two-time defending Class 6 champ, and her co-drivers and Desert Assassins teammates Rene Brugger and Pat Dailey, finished the gruelling 1061.69-mile course in 27:43:10.
Micheldever’s top Kumho dealers Forest of Dean tires and A&M tires Wigan joined Alan Baldwin, MTS wholesale director, Amelia Lion, Brand sales co-ordinator and Andy Spry, Protyre regional manager for the recent Manchester United home game at Old Trafford v Wolves, which United clinched with a last minute winning goal. All were entertained pre-match by Manchester United Legends Andrew Cole and Denis Irwin, both treble winners with United, and Andy Richie, the youngest ever hat trick scorer for Manchester United.
Having brought its first Formula One tyre test to a satisfactory conclusion, Pirelli reports that its next private test will take place in Bahrain from 12 – 16 December. There will be another private test session in Europe during January, before all the teams reconvene at the beginning of February for the first official test.
Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director commented: "We've passed our first test with full marks. All the teams have done plenty of laps and everyone has worked very hard. We've focused on the development of the front tire and that has given us the most satisfaction. On Monday, we begin to analyze the data collected over the last two days"
Dunlop has announced the impending discontinuation of its exclusive tyre supply of the touring car masters’ series, the DTM. This decision to part ways with what is called Europe’s most popular touring car race series was jointly reached with series promoter ITR e.V following several months of negotiations; the official end of supply on December 31 will close the book on a relationship in place since the championship’s revival in 2000. The ITR says details of a replacement tyre and series partner will be announced ‘right after’ an agreement is officially signed. It is widely known that Hankook is to be this partner; the Korean manufacturer is said to have outbid Dunlop for the position and is expected to sign a contract up to 2013 as soon as the current race season is over.
Pirelli has announced that 12 teams will test out its new Formula One tyres on Friday and Saturday. Tyre spotters amongst you will notice the slick tyres in medium and soft compounds are distinguished by a coloured stripe on the sidewall. Each team will have eight sets of tyres available to them for the two days of testing
The test in the United Arab Emirates marks Pirelli’s return to F1 after a 19-year absence. The Italian tyre company has brought 384 tyres and 30 people to Abu Dhabi for its debut. Pirelli’s Formula One team concluded the first phase of testing, following eight private tests and 7000 kilometres on challenging circuits all over Europe.
Kumho has created an all-new control tyre for the 2011 Formula 3 Euro Series. The final specification of the new tyre resulted from two days of comprehensive evaluation at the renowned Vallelunga circuit in Italy. It will be made available to the teams from the first official test session onwards.
Kumho supplied four different specifications of tyre for the 900 kilometres carried out by Dutch F3 driver Renger van der Zande – two completely new designs and two new compounds – each of which was compared with the 2010 specification covers. “The chosen tyre is incredibly good,” van der Zande commented adding: “The performance for fast qualifying laps and race pace consistency are equally remarkable.”
When the F3 race cars take their positions on the starting for this year’s Macau Grand Prix, which gets underway on November 18, each of the 32 competing vehicles will be fitted with tyres supplied by Yokohama Rubber. This is hardly surprising, given that the Japanese tyre maker has acted as official tyre supplier to this particular race for more than a generation. This year marks the 28th consecutive occasion in which Yokohama has provided tyres for the Macau Grand Prix, having begun in the role of official tyre supplier in 1983.
The conclusion of the Wales Rally GB on November 14 also marked the end of Pirelli’s time as official tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship. As of 2011 the WRC is being opened up to multiple tyre suppliers, and this change in regulations helped Pirelli decide to focus its motorsport energies on Formula One as of next year. Despite this, the Italian tyre maker views its three years’ WRC involvement as a very successful time, and Pirelli will continue its commitment to rallying through supporting the new WRC Academy, which replaces the Junior World Rally Championship as the first port of call for drivers aspiring to one day become world champion. The company will also provide the opportunity for six young drivers to contest the series as part of the Pirelli Star Driver programme, which it has supported for the last two seasons.
Pirelli recently renewed its tyre supply commitments to the British Superbike (BSB) and Supersport Championships, and now the company’s Metzeler brand has been confirmed as the control tyre supplier for the 1000ccc and 600cc National Superstock championships for a further five years. The German based manufacturer says these two “important production based classes within the prestigious MCE British Superbike series” have great importance as they offer Metzeler the chance to demonstrate the quality of its ‘over the counter’ tyres.
Bridgestone bows out of Formula One with the medium and super soft compound Potenza tyres for the championship finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 13-14 November. Hirohide Hamashima – Bridgestone director of Motorsport Tyre Development, says: “Last year was the first time we visited Abu Dhabi and we learnt a lot about the circuit on that first weekend. The track layout is certainly challenging with a long straight which presents a good overtaking opportunity heading into turn eight.”
Toyo Tires has breakfasted with Goodwood at this months’ Breakfast Club, Deutsch Marques. Toyo says the event attracted a “spectacular gathering of the most prestigious German cars”. It was held on Sunday, 7 November and as always, was free to attend.
Kumho has been the official tyre supplier to the Formula Three Euro Series since 2003. The newly-crowned 2010 Euro F3 champion on Kumho’s slicks is Edoardo Mortara. He contested the series previously in 2008, then had a year in GP2 before returning to F3 this year. He holds duel Italian and French nationality but races under the Italian flag and is responsible for two firsts for the series: the first victory for the French Signature team and the first for a VW-engined car. As official supplier, Kumho makes some 10,000 tyres available to the series per annum.
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