Silverstone [United Rubber (PVT) Ltd.]
As reported on Tuesday, Pirelli tested 18-inch Formula One concept tyres at Silverstone this week. Early yesterday, Lotus F1 Team reserve driver Charles Pic took the concept tyres out for their debut run and completed 14 laps of the Silverstone circuit.
Tomorrow, Pirelli will test an 18-inch F1 concept tyre at Silverstone. The tyre maker reports that the test will be conducted with Lotus F1 team during the third in-season test this year.
At this coming weekend’s British Grand Prix, Pirelli will deploy its two hardest tyre compounds in order to deal with the vagaries of English weather and the high energy loads experienced on the fast Silverstone track. The P Zero orange hard and P Zero White medium will thus be used at Pirelli’s “second home race”, which takes place less than an hour away from the company’s logistics hub in Didcot.
Michelin has launched a new training academy that it says promises to transform tyre fitters in the UK and Ireland into the “next generation of expert technicians.” Ten fitters from the Michelin Certified Centre (MCC) network have already been selected to take part in the first Michelin Professionals Academy course, a programme of training that includes a balance of theoretical and practical learning.
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.
An individual company has no say over the economy, nor can it order the weather conditions that best suit its requirements. But it can adapt to these variables, and prosper. Although the past year was a challenging one for tyre wholesalers in Europe, Netherlands-based wholesaler Van den Ban Autobanden B.V. has continued to invest time and resources in projects that will help it move forward in the current environment. Commercial manager Cyril Versteeg and Leonie de Wit of the marketing department recently shared details of these developments with Tyres & Accessories.
Hankook has confirmed that it will continue as the exclusive supplier to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2014. The manufacturer will provide its Ventus brand tyres to competitors in 33 races over 11 weekends, supporting such series as the Hankook-supplied DTM. The season began at Silverstone with 30 drivers competing for 12 teams.
Nankang has been named official tyre partner of Japfest – billed as ‘Europe’s biggest Japanese car show – and the Trax. modified and performance car event. Nankang Tyre UK will entertain the crowds at both shows with displays from Nankang-shod drift cars, and will also display the latest Nankang product range at its stand.
Entering its seventh year as series title sponsor and tyre supplier, Toyo Tires says the BRSCC Porsche Championship has seen an encouraging amount of pre-season registrations promising capacity grids for 2014. Using Toyo’s R888 as control tyre for all competitors, the Toyo Tires BRSCC Porsche Championship sees Boxsters and classic 924s battling for supremacy on […]
The FIA and Pirelli have renewed their Formula One tyre supply contract, confirming the Italian tyre manufacturer’s presence in the series for the next three seasons. The decision ends speculation about the immediate future of the tyre supplier in F1, and will provide some stability during a transition period for F1’s rules and regulations. However, Pirelli has also announced the decision to introduce two new mandatory rules, designed in conjunction with the FIA and F1 teams to prevent the recurrence of the tyre safety issues most prevalent at Silverstone’s British grand prix in 2013.
Should Nico Rosberg speak of 3-ply, he may not be referring to tyre sidewall construction. During the testing of Pirelli’s 2014 F1 tyres at the Bahrain International Circuit, the German Mercedes AMG Petronas team driver experienced a tyre blowout on the straight at 320km/h. Despite a total absence of test information from Pirelli, Rosberg shared news of the mishap via a short-lived tweet.
Following high profile controversies in major 2013 series, are the pressures placed on premium brand tyre manufacturers becoming too much to handle? Or are the pressures and the expensive compromises more than justified by the marketing and branding gains yielded from being the exclusive supplier of globally recognised motorsport?
Alex Lowes and Shane Byrne left Silverstone with only a point separating them in the MCE British Superbike Championship going into the Brands Hatch finale. Pirelli, the tyre supplier of the series, declared itself particularly pleased with the longevity of the new for 2013 Diablo Superbike SC1 rear soft tyre during the weekend, while anticipating an exciting final round on 18-20 October.
Paul Hembery has given the strongest indication yet of a longer term future in Formula One for tyre supplier Pirelli. While there had been speculation that the manufacturer had secured the supply deal for 2014 only, the company’s Motorsport director told reporters at the Korean grand prix that the exclusive tyre supplier is “working on five years”, meaning Pirelli would be in the series until at least the end of the 2018 season.
At the end of the Silverstone meeting there are five drivers in contention for the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. While Andrew Jordan is in command after extending his advantage, two wins for Jason Plato and another for reigning champion Gordon Shedden kept their respective title hopes alive. Two other former champions in Matt Neal and Colin Turkington are also in contention in the final three races of the season at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.
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