Renault Sport Technologies extends Michelin WSR partnership
The tyre supply partnership between Michelin and Renault Sport Technologies for the World Series by Renault (WSR) championship has been extended until 2015. The tyre maker says Renault Sport Technologies chose to prolong its association with Michelin on the basis of its racing tyres’ performance and its commitment to develop specific tyres for use by WSR competitors. Michelin adds that the extension of the partnership between it and Renault Sport Technologies stands out as an opportunity to consolidate the commercial relationship between the two entities, and also makes a significant contribution to the development of Michelin’s new ranges of motorsport tyres.
Continue ReadingInfinity to supply tyres to British drift team
Infinity Tyres has secured a partnership with Acorn Motorsport Division (AMD) for the Maxxis British Drift Championship (BDC) season. 2012 marks the event’s fifth year, which this time starts on Saturday 21 April at the Teesside Autodrome. Championship are already said to be at record levels, with drivers from all over Europe – including France, Sweden, The Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Ireland – registering their intention to take part.
Continue ReadingYuasa sponsors Honda Racing BTCC team
Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd has announced that the company has agreed to become the title sponsor of Honda Racing's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) team in a new three-year deal announced at the unveiling of the team's brand new Civic at Honda's UK Manufacturing Facility in Swindon on Monday 12 March 2012.
Continue ReadingFalken reveals new Porsche livery for ALMS
Tyre manufacturer, Falken has unveiled its 2012 Porsche 997 RSR livery for the American Le Mans Series ahead of its second Sebring test on 28 and 29 February. Bryan Sellers will share the new for 2012 car with Wolf Henzler in the ALMS season opener at the Florida venue on 17 March.
Continue ReadingPirelli sponsors Le Mans 24 camping Village
Pirelli has announced that it will sponsor this year’s Village on the Curves at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Formerly known as the Porsche Owners International Village, the Village on the Curves is situated at a spectacular vantage point on the 8.5 mile Circuit de la Sarthe. The cars enter the Porsche Curves in fifth gear, which is a fast but narrow complex of sweeping bends at the very end of the lap with little run-off, making it one of the best places to watch the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Continue ReadingFirst BRC round marks “new beginning” – Pirelli
Pirelli Tyre’s UK motorsport manager believes that Dorset and Hampshire’s Rallye Sunseeker “marks a new beginning for the British Rally Championship”. While Ford announced that it would join the manufacturers’ championship, the tyre-maker was providing tyres to two-wheel drive vehicles – the only cars eligible for points in this year’s series for the first time since the 1990s. Ireland’s Mark Donnelly took the spoils at an enthralling curtain-raiser, set in the Wareham and Ringwood forest complex close to the rally base in Bournemouth, Dorset.
Continue ReadingPirelli-supported British Rally Championship to open in Dorset
2011’s Rally of the Year, Rallye Sunseeker in Dorset marks the opening round of the 2012 MSA British Rally Championship. The rally begins with a ceremonial start at Poole Quay at 18:00 on Friday 24 February, with the main action taking place on 25th, during which crews will tackle 12 stages over 66 miles in the Wareham and Ringwood Forest complex. Pirelli, the official tyre sponsor since 2007, will supply asphalt and gravel specification tyres to the Ford, Citroën, Renault and Skoda crews throughout the prestigious six-round championship.
Continue ReadingAvon signs 3-year Euro and Dutch GT4 series exclusive supply deal
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe’s Avon Tyres will be the official tyre supplier to the European GT4 Cup and Dutch GT4 Championship for the next three years. Avon has ramped up its GT tyre products since its introduction into the British GT Championship in 2006, and the brand’s representatives say the latest contract shows its boosted reputation as a “world class supplier” of the product. All tyres for both championships will be manufactured in the UK at Avon Tyres Motorsport’s headquarters in Melksham, Wiltshire.
Continue ReadingPirelli launches GT Cup season
Pirelli has launched its fifth year of partnership with the GT Cup at Brands Hatch. Drivers used Pirelli’s intermediate tyres in damp conditions on the day, using the Indy circuit – the shortest configuration of the track – to test high-speed stability in fast corners such as Paddock Hill Bend and traction coming out of the slow hairpin at Druids. The GT Cup’s first round takes place at Donington Park from 28-29 April.
Continue ReadingPirelli launches MINI Challenge supply
Pirelli has supplied its first MINI Challenge event at the MotorSport Vision Racing Media Day. Hosted by Brands Hatch on Tuesday, former MINI Challenge champion Lee Allen in a Pirelli-branded MINI John Cooper Works among others demonstrated the tyres to gathered media representatives. For the Challenge’s drivers, this was the first chance to try out the new Pirelli tyres, and thanks to damp morning conditions were able to sample both the Pirelli 225/625-17 WH wet tyre and the 225/625-17 DH slick tyre; the latter used as the track dried out in the afternoon. There are two classes within the MINI Challenge: the turbocharged JCW class and the Club class. The Pirelli RX5 15” intermediate tyre is also used for the less powerful Club class. The first round of the championship takes place at Silverstone on 14 April.
Continue ReadingMarangoni agrees 3-year BMW Championship control tyre deal
Marangoni has agreed a three-year title sponsorship deal with the UK-based Production BMW Championship. The race cars, all based on BMW 3 Series models, will feature significant Marangoni and Kwik Fit branding and will race on 195/50 R15 82V Marangoni Zeta Linea Sport tyres, a track oriented version of Marangoni’s popular Zeta Linea road spec tyre. Taking into consideration that Marangoni tyres are only available through Kwik Fit in the UK, the race series will become known as The Marangoni Tyres Production BMW Championship, in association with Kwik Fit. Kwik Fit has reportedly “fully embraced” this new agreement and will be supplying the tyres to all race competitors.
Continue ReadingFederal to supply US Legend Cars series
Federal has announced that it will continue its motorsport activities through the supply of the 2012 RACEceiver US Legend Cars series, which runs from 19 February until 6 October. It has previously used its 595 ultra high performance tyre in the series in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. “Federal Tire has a lengthy and rich heritage in the leading motorsport categories across the world; we are proud and excited to enter the new chapter of such a promising partnership with US Legend Cars to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the fun and affordable racing series in which anyone can compete,” commented Taz Yeh, project manager of Federal Motorsports.
Continue ReadingAvon takes on British Hillclimb title sponsorship
Avon Tyres has signed up as title sponsor to the MSA British Hillclimb Championship, which will duly be known as the Avon Tyres MSA British Hillclimb Championship. The series, which got underway on 4 February at Leicestershire Circuit, is organised by the BARC and includes rounds at leading UK hillclimb venues, as well as Jersey and Guernsey.
Continue ReadingAvon deploys new tyre for British GT Championship
The Avon brand, manufactured by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd, has unveiled the fourth generation of its GT racing tyre since it took over as sole supplier and title sponsor of the series in 2006. Avon Tyres Motorsport technical manager, Mike Lynch, believes the new tyre will be around a second quicker than its predecessor around most circuits on the British GT calendar but, importantly, will also be durable enough for teams to use strategies demanding longer stints.
Continue ReadingInterview with Pirelli’s Georgio Barbier
Starting in 2013 Pirelli will supply World Superbike Series (WSBK) riders and teams with 17-inch racing tyres instead of the previously used 16.5-inch rubber. This decision prompted Tyres & Accessories to ask Pirelli racing director Georgio Barbier what led to this “important step”, as Pirelli itself describes it, and how it can benefit the average rider. Unsurprisingly, Barbier retained a professional silence regarding the costs involved in Pirelli’s role as Superbike tyre supplier and how this compares to its Formula 1 commitment. The same applies to questioning on whether the planned switch to 17-inch tyres in 2013 is a sign of Pirelli’s intention to seek a continuation of its WSBK tyre supply beyond 2015.
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