Motorsport
Pirelli 2019 Formula 1 tyres – what’s new?
Pirelli’s ninth consecutive season as the exclusive tyre supplier to Formula 1 sees the manufacturer make several changes to its tyre range. This isn’t new – Pirelli has changed its tyres somewhat every season – but the changes to this year’s compounds, making their debut on the 2019 cars in Barcelona this week, offer a few more fundamental differences than we have recently come to expect.
Portimão racetrack extends Davanti official tyre partnership for three more years
The Autódromo do Algarve has agreed a three-year extension to its official tyre partnership with Davanti Tyres. The circuit, which plays host to the European LeMans Series, 24H Endurance Series, the FIM World Superbike Championship, and the Algarve Classic festival, is recognised for the technical challenge it poses to racers. The UK tyre brand, which launched its first tyre in 2015, describes the new deal as “a massive coup.”
Falken Motorsports concludes 2019 shakedown ahead of Nürburgring return
Falken Motorsports has completed a shakedown of its 2019 race cars at Portugal’s Autodromo Internacional Algarve ahead of the 2019 VLN Endurance Championship, which begins on 23 March 2019. This season the team will introduce the new 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 R, with the test marking the first running for the new chassis as well as the new larger 300/680R18 Falken tyres fitted to the front axle to provide additional grip. The rear axle is fitted with 310/710R18 tyres, which are the same as the team’s previous model.
Rising rally star Fossey to run on Yokohama tyres, renewing deal
Rising rally star Ed Fossey will continue to expand his experience on Yokohama tyres in 2019. The 20-year-old has been retained by global tyre brand Yokohama for a fourth year in a row, with Fossey promising push the Japanese products to the limits in the search for impressive stage times and class wins in his Peugeot 208 R2.
Dunlop concludes German VLN Endurance Championship tyre test in Portugal
Dunlop has concluded a tyre test programme that will result in new tyres being introduced into the German VLN Endurance Championship. The tyre manufacturer hopes to make another step forward in performance to build on a successful season in the Nürburgring Nordschleife based series. Dunlop-equipped cars took several overall and class wins in 2018, and the tyre company used the session at Portugal’s Autodromo Internacional Algarve to test new ideas and concepts for the 2019 season.
Pirelli confirms F1 2019 pre-season test details, compounds for first 4 grands prix
Pirelli has confirmed that all five of its slick P Zero Formula 1 compounds will be seen in testing this year. Only three colours will be used on the slick tyres’ sidewalls to help spectators distinguish between the compounds this season – white plus Pirelli’s corporate yellow and red, in order of increasing softness. At each grand prix, the hardest compound tyre will have white sidewalls, the medium yellow, and the softest red.
BTCC legend Colin Turkington seals 2019 deal with TerraClean
2018 British Touring Car Champion Colin Turkington has extended his partnership with Randstad’s engine decarbonising brand TerraClean, which confirmed its ongoing investment in British motorsport at the Autosport International Show. This is the fourth consecutive year that TerraClean has been associated with the reigning champion.
Yokohama 2019 motorsport programme revs up at Autosport
Yokohama’s motorsport department is ready for another year of high-profile action on the track, as the tyre manufacturer’s UK division demonstrated at Autosport International 2019. In competitive motorsport, Yokohama will provide tyres for a series of high-profile championship and individual driver support programmes on both the race track and the rally stage.
Continental a founding partner in Extreme E off-road electric racing series
Continental is to sponsor the Extreme E off-road electric racing series. With sustainable electric SUVs and tyre technology from Continental, the new series takes participants to the most remote corners of the world. Extreme E organisers are anticipating 12 teams taking part in the inaugural season, slated to begin in exactly two years. Prototype testing is scheduled to start in April 2019 and Continental is initially a Founding Partner of Extreme E, becoming a Premium Partner in 2021. The technology company will equip all of the cars in the races with suitable tyres for the respective terrain.
Falken Motorsports introduces new Porsche 911 for 2019
Falken Motorsports has introduced a new Porsche 911 GT3 R for the start of the 2019 motorsport season. The new Porsche will compete alongside the team’s BMW M6 GT3 at the Nürburgring, continuing the Japanese tyre brand’s 20-year commitment to the legendary Nordschleife with racing cars from two premium car manufacturers.
Pirelli’s American motorsport commitments ‘never more relevant’
Pirelli is involved in 10 major championships at the forefront of American motorsport. It commits 40 personnel to a variety of races and rallies every weekend, supplying tens of thousands of tyres. The scale of Pirelli’s competition involvement this year in North America shows, the company states, that motorsport on the continent has never been more relevant. This is because motorsport represents a part of the Italian company’s research and development for ultra-high performance tyres – an “open-air testing laboratory,” in its words – pushing the extremes of performance on track to create products for the road.
Trico to continue Tockwith Motorsports partnership in 2019
Trico will resume its chief sponsorship of Britcar Dunlop Endurance Championship winning constructor, Tockwith Motorsports (TMS), in the 2019 season. The original equipment (OE) manufacturer of wiper blades and systems will return to the endurance series after a highly-successful 2018 season, where the Trico -liveried Ginetta G50 competed in seven rounds.
NIO optimistic as Formula E arrives in South America
Santiago, the capital city of Chile, welcomes the ABB FIA Formula E Championship this week where NIO is determined to make strong progress and challenge for points during round three of the Season 5 campaign.
Liqui Moly sponsors Bathurst 12 hour endurance event
The Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour starts on the last day of January. The endurance race in Australia marks the start of the season for oil and additive specialist Liqui Moly. “We’re looking forward to an exciting race,” says Peter Baumann, marketing manager with Liqui Moly, adding that the endurance race is a key marketing component for the company.
Ma Qing Hua continues as reserve driver for NIO Formula E Team
ABB FIA Formula E Championship team NIO has announced Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua will continue as the squad’s official reserve driver for Season 5. The 30-year-old from Shanghai will again be an integral part of NIO throughout the current campaign, which began in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, 15 December 2018.