F2 bosses praise Yokohama after first season supply
Yokohama’s Advan range of tyres acquired a new fitment this year. In addition to the brand’s continued supply of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, Advans were also seen fitted to another big FIA Championship, Formula Two. Yokohama HPT, the UK distributor for the Japanese brand, provided wet and dry tyres to the entire field and declared itself delighted the performance of the tyres, the feedback from the organisers and drivers, and the exceptional quality of the racing action. Richard Gates, F2 Race Operations manager, said the organisers had been “impressed” with both tyre performance and technical support. He also hinted at a relationship between the series and Yokohama that could extend beyond the current deal, which ends in 2013: "The new partnership has also been commercially viable which is imperative in today's climate and we're looking forward to continuing this relationship in the future."
Continue ReadingInfinity-backed Acorn Motorsport’s BDC season ends on high
Infinity Tyres has supplied its INF-05 tyre to the Acorn Motorsport Division team it sponsors in the Maxxis British Drift Championship this year. Its drivers, Ian Waddington and Mark Lappage achieved third and second positions in the Semi Professional and Professional classes respectively, both of which comprised 40 competitors in 2012, while AMD finished fourth in the Constructors Championship. Infinity is pleased with this “creditable” performance, especially considering it was achieved with two cars rather than the three most competitors enter. The concluding fifth and final rounds of the BDC at Knockhill Race Circuit saw Lappage climb into second place overall in the Pro Class, while Waddington held off challengers to claim the third podium position in the Semi-Pro final standings.
Continue ReadingMaxxis, Japspeed to appear at Top Gear Live 2012
Tyre manufacturer Maxxis will be completing a programme of activities at this year’s Top Gear Live, at Birmingham’s NEC from October 25-28, where Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and their racing driver colleague, The Stig, will be joined by guest drivers and awe inspiring vehicles in the Live Action Arena and Track. Maxxis will seek to raise its profile with a stand in the automotive exhibition. The company says the stand is designed to highlight its strength in depth in car and motorcycle tyres. Also, the ubiquitous Maxxis Babes will be on hand to mingle with fans and pose for photos.
Continue ReadingMaxxis tyre supplied Japspeed take 2012 BDC honours
The Maxxis-sponsored and -supplied Team Japspeed won an emphatic victory in the 2012 Maxxis British Drift Championship, clinching both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles. The six-round series, which attracted drivers from all the home nations as well as Ireland, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Norway, reached a thrilling climax at Knockhill in Dunfermline, as Paul “Smokey” Smith was crowned British Drift Champion 2012. With all four Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed drivers finishing in the top ten – Shane O’Sullivan was third while Stephen “Baggsy” Biagioni and Shane Lynch ended their campaigns in fifth and seventh place respectively – it came as no surprise that Team Japspeed were convincing winners of the constructors title.
Continue ReadingHill’s BSB season leaves sponsor Maxxis “impressed”
Maxxis International UK managing director, Derek McMartin has declared the company “impressed” at its sponsored rider, Tommy Hill’s 2012 season in the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, in which he finished third. McMartin said that the Swan Yamaha team, which is sponsored by Maxxis, has helped to increase the awareness of its brand through fans attending the championship and watching television coverage. Defending champion Hill recorded a double podium finish at Brands Hatch to end the season on a high note for Swan Yamaha, leapfrogging Alex Lowes (WFR Honda) to finish on the third step of the overall podium behind Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) and Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki).
Continue ReadingGutierrez wins Pirelli tyre management award
Lotus GP2 driver Esteban Gutierrez has won the inaugural Pirelli Trophy for tyre management, which was presented to him by Pirelli's racing manager Mario Isola at the GP2 prize-giving ceremony in Paris recently. Gutierrez, who also won the 2010 GP3 title – the first year that Pirelli returned to single-seater racing – was judged to have used his tyres in the best way all year by a panel of 50 international Formula One and GP2 journalists, who were tasked with voting for a winner.
Continue ReadingByrne clinches third British Superbike title on Pirelli tyres
Shane Byrne recorded a hat-trick of victories at Brands Hatch to win his third British Superbike Championship. The Kentish rider entertained a large crowd, pushing hard for the three wins, including a final race overtake on series runner-up Josh Brookes, despite a safe points cushion. The series’ tyre supplier, Pirelli pointed out that the man known as “Shakey” had completed victory on the 20th anniversary of the Japanese manufacturer’s last title in 1992. Pirelli also took part in BSB history across its twelve 2012 rounds, making a foray into Europe at Assen. With new power and budget equalling regulations as well as single tyre supply, Pirelli argues that the series has never been more open and level, producing an incredible eight different winners during the year.
Continue Reading3 Metzeler championships completed at Brands Hatch
Three UK moto series supported by Pirelli-owned bike tyre brand Metzeler came to an end on the weekend of 13-14 October at Brands Hatch. The company supplied tyres to the Superstock 1000 and 600, in addition to the Triumph Triple Challenge in 2012. Metzeler Product and Marketing manager Jim Worland commented: “Once again our three Metzeler supported Championships have supplied fantastic racing, large fields of riders and most importantly supplied a great route for young racers to progress through the ranks. The Metzeler Racetec Interact tyres have helped give fast, consistent lap times and give excellent feedback to the riders.”
Continue ReadingEvans wins 2012 WRC Academy
Welshman Elfyn Evans has become the second-ever winner of the Pirelli-supported WRC Academy, a series attached to the FIA World Rally Championship and designed to identify future champions by pitting young drivers against each other in identical Ford Fiesta R2 rally cars. When Evans took his fourth consecutive win this year on the all-asphalt Rallye de France, his table tally rose to a level that put the title mathematically out of his rivals’ reach, despite there being one round of the Academy left to go this year.
Continue ReadingBritish Superbike to stick with 16.5-inch tyres in 2013
Although the World Superbike Championship is switching to 17-inch tyres for the 2013 season – a change promoted as one that will aid in the motorsport-driven development of road-going motorcycle tyres – the British Superbike Championship will continue for one further year on Pirelli’s 16.5-inch tyre.
Continue ReadingSinnot wins Drift Allstars European Championship for Team Nexen
Team Nexen Tire Europe has won the 2012 Drift Allstars European Series, with its Irish Driver, Alan Sinnot in first place and Spanish champion, Lluis Lopez in fourth. The title-clinching meeting took place on the island of Malta on what is the biggest professional drift event in southern Europe. Team Nexen’s position as one of the leading professional drifting teams in Europe was confirmed at the ex-Sandhurst School Sports Arena in Pembroke, when its two drivers competed in the final.
Continue ReadingHarvey first home winner of Cooper Tires British Formula 3 since ‘06
At 2012’s final meeting, Lincolnshire’s Jack Harvey became the first British winner of the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 Championship since Mike Conway in 2006. Harvey took two victories from pole at Donington Park’s season finale. The Carlin racing driver arrived at the Derby venue on the back foot after a disappointing weekend at Silverstone in early September, when he picked up three penalties. Entering the final rounds of the championship, Harvey trailed team-mate and erstwhile championship leader, Jazeman Jaafar, by six points.
Continue ReadingCaine and Perfetti win 2012 Avon Tyres British GT
An unusual thing happened in the 2012 Avon Tyres British GT; the Motorbase pairing of Michael Caine and Daniele Perfetti that prevailed claimed the GT3 title at Donington Park despite not having won a race all season. The duo lined up eighth on the grid for the season finale of a remarkably close British GT Championship, but following an electrifying start to an action-packed race, a number of changes at the front of the pack included the pairing, which crossed the line in fourth place. Title sponsor Avon Tyres said the team had been rewarded for its consistency and clean racing; the duo stayed out of trouble to bring the Porsche 997 GT3-R home and clinch the title by 3.5 points, in dramatic fashion.
Continue ReadingTrevor Willis crowned 2012 Avon Tyres MSA British Hillclimb champion
Trevor Willis won the Avon Tyres MSA British Hillclimb Championship at Loton Park on 28-29 September to take his first ever national hillclimb title. Speaking after Sunday’s run-offs, Willis said he was glad to have secured the title: “That was a huge relief! I was so glad to take the title in the first run-off as I just couldn’t take the pressure anymore – it was getting too much,” he laughed.
Continue ReadingDunlop Motorsport pairing cutting edge propulsion with specially designed tyres
New fuel solutions can only be optimised with equally new tyre design concepts, according to Dunlop Motorsport, which invited journalists to both witness the unveiling of the latest GreenGT vehicle and learn more about the cutting edge rubber cars like it will be running on.
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