Known for its style, speed and performance marketing values, Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a multinational company based in Milan, Italy, listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 1922, with a temporary privatization period by the consortium led by the Chinese state-owned enterprise ChemChina.
Pirelli’s new 13-inch PZero soft compound GP3 tyre made its debut at last weekend’s Valencia street circuit for round three of the all-new series. The tyre, designed to deliberately degrade and slide, remained on the shelf during the first two rounds in Barcelona and Istanbul Park, as the medium compound tyre instead saw action at these venues.
Pirelli SpA’s ownership shifted over the weekend as the Malacalzu Group increased its stake in the tyre maker, reports Tire Review. The Genoa-based Malacalza Group boosted its stake in Pirelli by increasing its stake in Camfin – Pirleli’s largest shareholder – to 12.1 per cent, and plans to take a 30.9 per cent stake in GPI, which controls Camfin. With those moves, the Malacaza Group will effectively become Pirelli’s second largest shareholder. Pirelli Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera revealed the stock plan in an interview published on 26 June.
As of 2011, tyre supply to the FIA World Rally Championship is will be open to any tyre manufacturer. On June 23 the FIA gave public notice that the regulations covering tyre supply have been amended to “control costs”. These altered regulations will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council for a fax vote before July 20. The FIA Junior World Rally Championship will, however, continue with a single tyre supplier.
According to a report in French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Michelin did not officially bid for the supply of Formula One. The French manufacturer’s Competition manager Paul Shorrock told L’Equipe that while Michelin did hold talks to discuss the possibility of re-entering the sport, the company’s official position remained out while “current regulations” remained “in force in 2011”.
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva today could yield confirmation – finally – of Formula One’s reported deal with Pirelli to supply tyres to the series from next year. Motorsport website motorsport.com suggests that FOTA, the association for the sport’s teams, have signed a letter of intent and that contracts with Bernie Ecclestone are also in the bag.
Pirelli Tire North America has teamed-up with DUB, Ford, Microsoft and Roush Industries for the customized Crackdown 2 version of the 2011 DUB Edition Ford Mustang V6, reports Tire Review. The customized car, tied in with the launch of the XBox 360 Crackdown 2 video game, will be given away in a sweepstakes.
Italian drivers have earned themselves something of a reputation for not being Europe’s meekest motorists, so news of Pirelli’s co-presentation of a summer road safety campaign is very welcome indeed. On June 16 the tyre maker, in collaboration with ‘Autostrade per l’Italia’ and Telepass (the company that builds and manages Italy’s motorways and its electronic toll collection system), presented the “Safe&Go” summer road safety campaign, to be operated under the patronage of the Italy’s minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Altero Matteoli. The minister attended the launch along with Pirelli Group chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera, together with Giovanni Castellucci and Fabio Cerchiai, respectively the managing director and president ‘Autostrade per l’Italia’.
Information obtained by Tire Review in the US indicates that Toyo Tire USA is “scrambling to fill truck tyre orders” following its dismissal earlier in the year from the GTY Tire Co. joint venture by partners Continental Tire the Americas and Yokohama Tire Corporation. The tyre maker has taken legal action as a result of this action and, in a lawsuit filed in January, Toyo claims that both Conti and Yokohama are attempting to prevent Toyo from selling any radial truck tyres in the US for five years, and that the partners have declared GTY Tire to be no more. All this, notes Tire Review, may be the indirect result of the “business and capital alliance” partnership struck between Toyo Tire & Rubber and Bridgestone Corporation in May 2008.
Information supplied by Pirelli indicates continued year-on-year growth in European OE and replacement sectors for both passenger car and commercial vehicle tyres. During May 2010 the OE and replacement passenger markets in Europe grew nine and 14 per cent respectively, the tyre maker estimates, bringing year-to-date growth to 28 and 11 per cent. For the commercial vehicle market, Pirelli estimates a respective year-on-year growth for the OE and replacement segments of 72 per cent and 16 per cent. Year-to-date, the European OE truck tyre market has grown 13 per cent and the replacement market 33 per cent.
In June 2010, Pirelli launched its new Chinese logo at a ceremony in Beijing attended by automotive industry executives, celebrity guests plus Chinese and international media. Pirelli describes the event as a “truly historic moment” that serves “as a testament to Pirelli’s product superiority and continued commitment to the Chinese market.”
While Ian Hutchinson took the plaudits for an unprecedented five wins on the Isle of Man, Pirelli says Conor Cummins was denied victory by a mechanical fault, which wiped out a 23 second lead in the Superbike TT. Riding on Pirelli tyres, Manxman Conor logged a fastest ever lap in the Superbike race with a devastating 131.511mph average speed, attained unusually on his opening out lap. Fellow Pirelli pilot Guy Martin fell foul of a new pit lane speed limit when lying third, while last year’s 131mph practice man Cameron Donald signalled his return from injury with a battling podium.
The Isle of Man’s low emissions TT Zero race – for electric motorbikes – saw the majority of riders choose to use Pirelli’s Diablo Superbike ‘slick’ race tyres, with machines shod with the Italian manufacturer’s rubber taking all three podium places. The MotoCzysz machine swept to a dominant win over the testing 37-mile Mountain course at the hands of pilot Mark Miller, travelling at an average speed of 96.82mph. The machine hit 135mph at the Sulby Speed Trap and finished the race in 23 minutes 22 seconds. Pirelli says the Diablo tyre’s low rolling resistance was “essential in this power sapping electric race”.
Michelin is reportedly close to pulling out of its present bid to supply tyres to Formula One in the 2011 season of the motor racing series. If correct the news reports, which are based on French newspaper L'Equipe’s publication of an interview with Michelin managing partner Didier Miraton, leave Pirelli as the front runner. Rumours have suggested Pirelli has been favourite to secure the contract for a few weeks, but delays in agreeing a deal had suggested Michelin was still in the running.
After seven years with a Pirelli policy, Caledonian Logistics has renewed its truck tyre supply deal with the company for 2010/2011. Utilising Pirelli’s new updated Amaranto range, designed specifically for long haul usage, the company reports that it is “confident of continued excellent mileage performance and minimal downtime” following the contract renewal.
Graham Hutchison, Pirelli’s UK director of truck, was obviously pleased: “Lots of Companies chase new business, and we do, but it’s the existing partnerships that are the backbone of your success. Pirelli and Caledonian have worked together over a number of years and we look forward to a new year of fruitful partnership and success.”
Scorpion Exhausts has rebranded its range to herald its third decade of activity in the car and motorcycle tuning markets. The British firm based in Ripley, Derbyshire has moved to a new typeface and eye-catching ‘sting’ logo to reflect their increasing investment in the latest design and manufacturing methods. The new brand language has been designed by leading agency WDA, who can count iconic brands like Pirelli, Bentley and Total Oils amongst their eclectic list of automotive blue-chip clients.
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