MOTORSPORT
The Nankang Tyre Drift Team claimed first place at the British Drifting Championship Team Constructors event at the season’s third round, which was held in Teeside on 20 July 2014 in what turned out to be a very mixed bag of weather throughout the weekend.
As if going to Hell and back wasn’t enough for David Coulthard, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe reports that he’s now caught a fever. The tyre maker says the ex-Formula One driver and BBC F1 commentator returned from the third round of the 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship, which he attended as an ambassador for Cooper Tire, with a case of ‘World Rallycross fever’ that has given him a new-found appreciation for the sport.
Formula One heads to the German Grand Prix this weekend, a round that alternates each year between the Nürburgring and Hockenheim. This year, Hockenheim plays host, and Pirelli has selected its P Zero Yellow soft tyre and the P Zero Red supersoft for the event. Following the German Grand Prix the race teams will then head directly to Hungary, where the soft and medium tyres have been nominated.
At the end of May, tyre manufacture at Dunlop Motorsport’s plant in Birmingham came to an end, with car tyre production transferred to Goodyear Dunlop’s Hanau factory in Germany and motorcycle tyre production to the company’s Montlucon facility in France. While some of the machinery from the Fort Dunlop facility will be shipped to other sites, most will be sold off; the Pelmar Group reports that it has been appointed to dispose of equipment from the plant.
Tyre production at Fort Dunlop, a site that was Europe’s largest tyre manufacturing facility as recently as the 1970s, has ended as Dunlop Motorsport transfers its motorsport capacity to facilities in France and Germany. A total of 241 manufacturing jobs vanished as the final shift left the factory on the afternoon of 30 May; local MP Jack Dromey, who had fought to retain Dunlop motorsport manufacturing in Birmingham since Goodyear Dunlop first announced plans to leave the site a year ago, referred to the end of production as “a day of shame”.
Pirelli has expressed its condolences to those affected by two accidents at Saturday’s Jim Clark Rally, which was the second round of the British Rally Championship. Three people were killed and one injured when a race vehicle veered into a crowd at around 4pm, while five people were injured in a similar incident two hours earlier.
Nexen Tire has announced plans to join the largest drift racing scene in Europe. The company announced that it has agreed a sponsorship deal with Team Aerokit Nexen, one of the teams fighting it out for glory in the Drift Allstars 2014 European Series, with the racing calendar running from the 17 May through to September.
It has now been sole tyre supplier to the World Superbike championship for more than ten years and is also partner to national championships, including British Superbike. But is Pirelli looking to further extend its two-wheel motorsport participation? Bikesportnews.com says it is. Matteo Giusti, the tyre maker’s racing and product communication manager, told BSN that Pirelli is currently discussing its “next steps regarding the possibility to make an offer for MotoGP.” He added that Michelin and Dunlop have also expressed interest in supplying the championship, however at present nothing has been decided.
22 Formula Student teams from around the world are taking up a technical partnership scheme with coatings specialist Zircotec. The company will provide access to professional motorsport thermal management technology for use in their 2014 Formula Student cars. Zircotec stated that there are still places available in the scheme, encouraging more teams to apply.
Maxxis International has launched a new advertising campaign that focuses on the people who trust its tyres to deliver on the world’s roads, racetracks and off-road courses. The new ‘Good company. Always.’ campaign will run in trade, motorsport and consumer media throughout 2014, highlighting the benefits of using the manufacturer’s tyres through the people that use them for personal and professional transport.
Maxxis has announced the appointment of Channi Jethwa as its marketing and digital coordinator. She becomes the second addition to Maxxis’ digital team in ten months, demonstrating the tyre maker’s success in this area over the past year.
Bridgestone has renewed its sponsorship of 16-year-old Redditch rider Rob Yates, following his “breakthrough” year of 2013. Bridgestone training development manager Mark Fereday predicted that Yates is “destined for greater things in the years ahead.” The tyre brand will supply tyres and clothing as Yates competes in such competitions as the GT Cup and British Schoolboy Motorcycle Association championships.
The FIA World Rallycross Championship 2014 has been launched at the Franciacorta International Circuit in Brescia, Italy. The six permanent two car teams were present at the venue, which is new to the championship, as well as some of the individual Supercar entries, Euro RX and RX Lites competitors, revealing driver line ups and liveries ahead of the opening round in Montalegre, Portugal on 4-5 May. The series, which also announced that it would be televised around the world by 30 different broadcasters, including British Eurosport in the UK, announced that it will be supplied by Cooper tyres earlier in the year.
New and returning drivers in what is described as being one of the world’s most cost-effective single seat motorsport categories are heading to Silverstone this weekend for the opening rounds of the 2014 BRDC Formula 4 Championship. As was the case during last year’s inaugural season, the control tyre for 2014 will be provided by Yokohama.
The strength of the P Zero White medium tyre following a start in which most used the soft P Zero Yellow allowed the top 15 to complete two stops only on the demanding Shanghai circuit, Pirelli said. Formula One’s exclusive tyre supplier had anticipated increased wear as a result of very long corners and high G-forces, but the 2014 tyres’ increased durability allowed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to use a two pit stop strategy to win, following a long second stint.
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