Lassa sponsoring V1 Challenge
Lassa Tyres has become tyre sponsor for the V1 Challenge Moldova – a series held in a number of cities and run using Volkicars, a race car developed by Turkish racing driver Volkan Işık. And while Lassa’s sponsorship deal is new, the tyre maker can claim a further connection of sorts to the V1 Challenge – the series was developed by Işık, who led the Lassa Rally Team from 2007 to 2010.
Continue ReadingPirelli, Dmack, Kumho, Dunlop to supply British Historic Rally
Pirelli, Kumho and Dmack have announced that they will supply tyres to the 2013 MSA British Historic Rally Championship, following the competition’s move to an open choice era. Dunlop, the supplier to the UK’s premier historic rally series for the past four years will continue to make its tyres available to the championship, which takes in both gravel and asphalt events across the country. The championship features old-school rally machinery dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. “We firmly believe this is the right time to open up the tyre supply situation,” said championship manager Simon Marks. “More tyre manufacturers are now in a position to supply the historic market and our competitors will now be able to choose between four excellent suppliers.”
Continue ReadingTyres to play a greater role in Green X Challenge
The American Le Mans Series, launched in 1999, is the first North American motorsport series to be acknowledged as a ‘green racing series’ by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Department of Energy and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International). Since the 2009 season, American Le Mans has also been linked to the Michelin Green X Challenge, which elects a winner for each race based upon a combination of energy use, emissions, speed and efficiency criteria.
Continue ReadingMaxxis supports 10th Japfest with ‘drift spectacular’
This weekend Castle Combe will host the tenth anniversary of Japfest, Europe’s biggest Japanese Car Show. On 12 May the Maxxis British Drift Championship will be the star attraction, with three extended track sessions, during which star drivers from all three classes will be demonstrating their skills and precision in a mass drift train. The title sponsor of the UK Drift series will be strongly represented at Japfest, with the Maxxis Babes joining its two sponsored drifting teams, Team Japspeed and SATS Motorsport.
Continue ReadingVipal sponsors Buggyra Formula Truck team for second year
Vipal, one of the largest manufacturers retreading and repair materials, has agreed to sponsor the Buggyra Formula Truck team for the second consecutive year. In the 2011 season, Vipal participated with a VIP area in 5 of the 10 races and brought 75 customers, mainly retreaders form across Europe to the events. The races invited partners to were at Misano, Italy; Albacete, Spain; Nurburgring, Germany; Most, Czech Republic; and Le Mans, France. This year Vipal will participate with VIP areas in Istanbul, Donington, Nurburgring, Most and Jarama.
Continue ReadingKumho to supply French F4 racing series
Kumho, who only recently was appointed official tyre supplier to the global Auto GP Series, has now also won the contract to supply all the tyres for the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile's (FFSA) F4 single-seater racing championship.
Continue ReadingPirelli honours 25 years of WSBK with ‘Silver Stripes’ tyre
This year the World Superbike Championship celebrates its 25th anniversary, and Pirelli – who has been involved in the series from its inception and as sole supplier since 2004 – has decided to mark the occasion by creating an exclusive version of the Superpole tyre the riders will use at Monza on 5 May to decide the starting order for the next day’s races.
Continue ReadingSofter BSB compounds to have their day at Oulton Park, predicts Pirelli
After the fast, abrasive Thruxton surface, the British Superbike series moves to Oulton Park where the more flowing nature of the circuit and make-up of the asphalt means softer Pirelli Diablo Superbike tyres may well be effective.
Continue ReadingHaribo Racing switches to Falken for VLN and 24 Hour races
The Haribo Racing Team has announced it will use Falken’s race tyres on its Porsche 997 GT3 R for the VLN series and Nürburgring 24 Hour race. The team said its move to the Japanese brand’s tyres, developed specifically for the 997 GT3 R, was completed after a successful test at the recent ADAC Westfalenfahrt race. “We were very satisfied with the way the race went, delivering fast, consistent lap times,” reports Marco Alfter, Haribo’s head of corporate communications.
Continue ReadingBRC showcases past, present, potential future Pirelli Star Drivers
Double British Rally Champion and former Pirelli Star Driver Keith Cronin claimed victory on this weekend’s Pirelli International Rally, the third round of the 2012 Pirelli-supported MSA British Rally Championship. Pirelli Star Driver Jukka Korhonen shone in his TEG-prepared Skoda Fabia R2 at the weekend, securing his best finish of the season with sixth overall, and second in class. Meanwhile, a sterling performance in a Ford Fiesta R2 allowed 21-year old, Jussi Kumpumaki who is part of the Finnish Ford Junior Team, was presented with the coveted Pirelli yellow jersey and a nomination towards the end of season Pirelli Star Driver shoot out.
Continue ReadingMaxxis Japspeed drivers take top two drift spots
Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed dominated the opening round of the Maxxis British Drift Championship on 21-22 April at the Teeside Autodrome, as the team scooped three of the top four spots in the Super Professional class, which the title sponsor refers to as the premier league of drifting. Maxxis-sponsored SATS Motorsport, also using the MAZ1 Drift tyre, leads the constructor’s title race after Steve Moore made it on to the second step of the podium in the Super Pro class. The Infinity Tyres sponsored Acorn Motorsport Division team also had a successful time at the Teeside Autodrome, finishing in third place in the team standings.
Continue ReadingDunlop heads to Spa for Endurance round two
Dunlop Motorsport general manager Jean-Felix Bazelin says that the tyre manufacturer faces “one of the biggest challenges in motorsport”, as it travels to the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps presents numerous challenges, with Dunlop highlighting “one of the greatest compressions seen by race tyres on any circuit as cars streak through the downhill to uphill transition from Eau Rouge to Le Raidillion, and the fickle Ardennes weather, which can mean a track with both wet and dry sectors. The six hours of racing take place on 5 May, and Dunlop tyres have been chosen by all of the bumper LMP2 class of 13 cars, with sole representatives in the LMP1 and GTE Am classes.
Continue ReadingMaxxis-sponsored BSB team celebrates double podium
Maxxis-sponsored Swan Yamaha got its 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship campaign off to a flying start at round two, when reigning champion Tommy Hill posted a double podium finish. The brand says it is reaping the benefit of its sponsorship deal thanks to the exposure it provides, not least through the TV coverage, to one of the tyre manufacturer’s key consumer audiences. The company said that it eagerly awaits round three of the series at Oulton Park. Hill’s two second places at Thruxton mean he is lying fourth in the overall standings after two rounds. All championship competitors ride on Pirelli Diablo tyres.
Continue ReadingAvon Tyres the dominant European Rallycross tyre supplier
When American racer Tanner Foust won the opening round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill over Easter weekend, he helped to continue Avon Tyres’ dominance of the category in recent years. Champions of the prestigious series in the last 20 years have all used Avon’s rallycross rubber.
Continue ReadingPirelli at Donington for GT Cup opener
Pirelli will be at Donington Park this weekend (28-29 April), supporting the GT Cup Championship for the third consecutive year at its opening round. The championship has introduced GT3 homologated cars for the first time in its five-year history, and with a steadily expanding entry list, and a 23-race calendar the season is hotly anticipated. World-class brands such as McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari, Mosler, BMW, TVR and Chevron are involved, and all will roll on Pirelli’s slick DM and DH compound and wet WS and WH compound tyres. Due to the various cars appearing on the GT Cup grid, Pirelli will supply a range of different tyre sizes will be on offer to competitors.
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