Motorsport Archives - Page 92 of 129

Kumho Renews Supply Commitment to Formula 3 Euro Series

Kumho Tires’ role as official tyre supplier to the Formula 3 Euro Series has been extended to 2011. The renewed contract was signed on February 18 at a meeting between the head of the series’ organising committee, Walter Mertes, and H.S. Lee, president of Kumho Tire Europe GmbH, at Kumho’s European headquarters in Offenbach, Germany.

The F3 Euro Series was founded in 2003 by the organisers of the French and German championships. A full grid of 32 cars, the largest number since the series began, will contest the 20-race 2009 series between May and October, with rounds in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

25th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New Ford Focus RS Runs on Conti SportContact 3

Product News

The new Ford Focus RS – the auto manufacturer’s fastest volume model ever – has debuted in its final form at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, stepping out on Continental’s ContiSportContact 3 tyre, sized 235/35ZR19. The appearance follows previews at the London and Paris Motor Shows in 2008.

Lars Frick, an automotive engineer for Ford tyres with Continental, stated that the manufacturer was able to offer the company a tyre appropriate to the needs of the new car: “The Ford Focus RS should be equipped with tyres, which support the sporty driving dynamics and which allows the high torque level of the car to be translated to the road. The emphasis lay on safe handling characteristics and short braking distances, even on wet asphalt. At the same time Ford expected very sporty tyres, which made the driving dynamics tests on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife a very useful process.”

The Focus RS will also be kitted out with the ContiMobilityKit, allowing drivers to repair flats on the fly, as standard.

18th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Spending Their Way Out of Recession

Editorial/Comment

Spend or save, that is the question. Watching newly inaugurated US President Barack Obama fight to push his trillion-dollar public spending plans through congress, exemplifies the divide between the two opposing schools of thought on how to deal with the current financial crisis. Conservative politicians holding opposition office (both here and in the US) appear to advocate lowering taxes and argue against the high levels of borrowing Gordon Brown and Obama are embarking on. But in practice the majority of both left and right governments around the world are doing similar things to Brown and Obama and advocating economic stimulus plans – albeit to a greater or lesser extent. But how do tyre businesses get out of slump? Can this market spend its way out of recession?

18th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Loeb Claims 49th Career Win on Pirelli’s New Sottozero

Product News

He’s one away from the ‘big five-oh’…Rally Norway, the sole all-snow round of the World Rally Championship, was the scene of five-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb’s 49th career win – it also marked the first competition victory for Pirelli’s brand new generation of Sottozero studded winter tyre. Loeb’s Citroën kept the Pirelli-equipped Ford Focus RS WRC of Mikko Hirvonen at bay throughout the event, finishing the three-day rally after what Pirelli has called a ‘close battle’ with the Finnish driver.

In past years, spiked winter tyres for world championship winter rallies used to be of a special narrow size, designed to bite through soft snow to the harder surfaces underneath. This year, as part of the Pirelli supported FIA cost-cutting drive, Pirelli’s tungsten-tipped Sottozero winter tyres – each of which contains 384 studs – have been designed to fit on standard 15-inch gravel wheel rims.

17th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Capitalize Placed in Charge of Pirelli UK Motorcycle Segment PR

Product News

Pirelli has handed London based agency Capitalize responsibility for promoting its motorcycling activities in the UK. Initial projects for the agency will include a PR campaign for Pirelli and Metzeler’s racing activities, to publicise the company’s growing product range through specialist and trade motorcycling media as well as to a wider audience through motorsport, national and consumer lifestyle outlets.

Pirelli’s racing portfolio ranges from sole control tyre for the World Superbike Championship and British Superbike Championship to its presence at landmark road racing events including the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Macau GP as well as widespread club racing events. The company has also claimed victories in the 2008 MX1 and MX2 Motocross Championships, bringing its tally to a respectable 51 World Championship crowns.

16th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Won’t Colour MotoGP Compounds

Product News

Though its different compounds in Formula One were coloured last season to generate interest among spectators, Bridgestone told motorsport news sources that it has no plans to incorporate a similar scheme into its tyres for the new MotoGP season, of which it is the sole tyre supplier.

While the move to slicks in F1 in 2009 will make it as hard for the company to continue its colouration as it would to colour motorcycle tyres, it has been suggested that the company will colour the sidewall of its softer compound tyre green, where last year’s F1 tyre had a white stripe in the softer compound’s tread pattern. The same cannot be said for its plans in MotoGP: “Presently there is no plan to differentiate tyres in MotoGP as is done in Formula One,” a Bridgestone spokesman told crash.net.

16th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Donington Park Loses Dunlop Landmark

Product News

Work to convert Donington Park into a Formula One circuit is underway, and a casualty of the transformation has been the famous Dunlop Bridge. On February 12 – a day described as ‘historic’ by Donington Park chairman Simon Gillett – the week long effort to remove the structure began, and piece-by-piece three decades of motorsport history was taken down.

“As a motorsport enthusiast, I am sorry to see the Dunlop Bridge come down,” said Gillett. “However, it is an iconic structure that has become an integral part of Donington Park. I will do everything in my power to ensure that we are able to resite the bridge within the circuit.” It has been suggested that the Bridge could be relocated to the circuit’s entrance.

13th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Triple P showcases Gulf Lubricants

Product News

In addition to the presence of tyre makers, the Aftermarket Show at Autosport International proved to be the ideal stage for Triple P, a division of Universal Automotive, to demonstrate its ability to attract performance brands, with the announcement of a distribution agreement with Gulf Lubricants UK. The road-going version of the Gulf-sponsored Le Mans winning Aston Martin DBR9 was the centre-piece of the company’s stand.

Keith Jewers, Gulf UK retail sales director joined the rest of the Triple P team and was present for the duration of the show to answer any questions about the brand. “Being at the heart of the Aftermarket Show and featuring in the TalkShop forums provided the perfect platform to really get the message across to both trade and consumer that Gulf Lubricants are back in a big way,” he explained. “The Gulf brand is synonymous with quality and innovation, and the high performance range of products we are offering through Triple P will be extremely comprehensive and competitive.”

9th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Two-wheel Tyre Companies Optimistic About the Future

Product News

According to the organisers Motorcycle Trade Expo is Europe’s largest annual business-to-business motorcycle, scooter and ATV exhibition. Last year’s show, the first at Birmingham’s NEC, was described as a record breaking event, but how did the 2009 show go? And what did the leading tyre-related exhibitors have on offer?

Like most businesses in the UK tyre trade, Cambrian Tyres described the 2008 market as good in the first half, and less pleasant in the second half. Despite the difficult circumstances facing everyone at the moment, sales manager, Mathew Leeman, told T&A that the company has been continuing in its recent trend of steady, sustained growth. However, while Cambrian deals with all the best known brands, the company is particularly positive about the Continental brand that it exclusively handles. Here, it seems that the economic pressures are directing consumers towards the Continental brand.

5th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

The Greatest Drift of All

Product News

The relatively new motorsport known as drifting, whose championships have been reported on these web pages recently, is about to get its own track days thanks to Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire. Emerging from its origins as an underground recreation, drifting is now described by the track’s administrators as “a mainstream art-form,” boasting its own championships, computer games and dedicated Scalextric set. Thanks to Santa Pod, becoming a drifting virtuoso, or at least being able to hold your car in a controlled slide, has become a much more attainable goal.

Learning to drift can be quite tricky and expensive, particularly when a learner gets it wrong. Santa Pod states, “Drift competitions require a pretty high standard before you can enter, most drift-schools add a considerable cost, and neither the local constabulary nor your local Tesco will appreciate you doing it on their turf.”

4th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Aftermarket Show Review: Toyo

Premium, Product News

Acknowledging the problems faced by the motorsport and high-performance sectors, Toyo’s stand displayed the company’s commitment to two of its most important markets. In erecting an imposing stand, Toyo was clearly aiming to make an impact at January’s Autosport International Aftermarket Show, hosted by Birmingham’s NEC. Toyo’s determination to make their presence felt was exemplified by the attitude of Sarah Clavey, Toyo UK’s senior marketing executive: “At a time when uncertainty prevails, we were determined to show our commitment to grass roots motorsport and to showcase our range of tyres for 2009. We know that Autosport delivers our classic target audience and we wanted to put on a show that all visitors would remember. Our stand was much larger than in previous years and was designed to deliver impact”.

In addition to highlighting its involvement in more than 15 motorsport championships – covering hill climb, drag racing and modified production among numerous other series – the Japanese brand put on head-turning performances via their interactive stage shows. Over the four days they were delighted to be able to engage with many of the show’s 79,000 enthusiastic visitors. The motive behind this vibrant, interactive format was to attract and involve new enthusiasts and to bring the Toyo brand to life amongst one of its primary target markets.

Membership Required

Already a member? Log in here

3rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Falken Expands Motorsports Involvement

Product News

Falken has enjoyed considerable success in the comparatively new motorsport of drifting, with teams performing in vehicles shod with Falken Azenis RT-615. In fact, Falken was the first tyre manufacturer to back drifting when it was introduced to the USA in 2003.

In 2008, the company broadened its motorsports horizons when it took part in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) competition. This is unusual in the fact that open tyre competition is encouraged and there are six manufacturers currently in competition, developing tyres specifically suited to the 11 different tracks in the series.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop to Supply New BMW UK Contest

Product News

Headline brand and tyre suppliers to the 2009 Great and British Racing Festival, Dunlop has announced that the latest addition to the UK racing scene, the new ‘CSL Cup’ for BMW M3 E46 and CSL racing models will be part of the Festival’s calendar this year. The Great and British is one of the UK’s premier race series, comprising racing from Radical, Mini and the Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup.

John Thorne of Thorney Motorsport, the promoter of the CSL Cup series, was pleased to secure the spot on the Festival’s bill: “We’re delighted. The CSL Cup is a new series for 2009 so to be awarded the opportunity to appear on such a prestigious series with an enviable calendar is really quite groundbreaking.

Dunlop Great and British Schedule for 2009:

18-19 April: Rockingham
6-7 June: Brands Hatch
4-5 July: Donington Park
18-19 July: Castle Combe
22-23 August: Croft
26-27 September: Snetterton

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Protyre to Supply BFGoodrich Rally Tyres in UK

Product News

Protyre Motorsport has followed up news of its agreement to supply Michelin track tyres in the UK and Ireland with the announcement of a new deal to supply BFGoodrich rally tyres to competitors in the UK. The range of tyres to be provided by Protyre Motorsport includes dry weather asphalt tyres which deliver both consistency and versatility; gravel tyres for the three categories of loose surface rallies with tyres that offer soft, medium and hard compound; and snow tyres for all the winter fixtures. Protyre Motorsport will also provide service, support and advice for competitors at key rallies in the UK during 2009.

29th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Tires Begin 2009 With Motorsport Triumphs

Product News

Kumho Tires’ motorsport season started off on the right footing following a win at the opening round of the 2009 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and its highest ever rank at the Dakar Rally.

Eugene Donelly, driving a Skoda equipped with Kumho rally tyres, competed in the A8 class (Over 2000cc, Group A) finishing in first place in the initial round of the Irish Rally, held in Galway on the weekend of 16-18 January. In addition to Donelly, three other vehicles equipped with Kumho rubber ranked first and second in N4 Class (fifth and sixth overall), and first in A7 Class (seventh overall) among 139 vehicles.

29th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Posts

We see you are visiting us from China.