With a fresh commercial tyre range now available and the UK launch of its new fleet service offer just months away, there is plenty happening at Prometeon Tyre Group (PTG). To find out more we caught up with Ali Yilmaz, who in July was named commercial director for the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries.
Prometeon Tyre Group UK Ltd has named GB Tyres UK Ltd as Formula brand partner for the UK & Ireland. According to the companies, the Formula truck and bus tyre range “benefits directly from Prometeon’s technological know-how and manufacturing expertise, providing a high quality TBR range that is specifically aimed at a more value orientated market”. Characterised as “a robust and hard working on-off product”, the Formula TBR range is said to provide “performance, long-life and affordability” and is available in key sizes across the UK dominated regional segment.
Yokohama has extended its agreement to supply its global flagship Advan racing tyres as the sole control tyre for the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship Series through until the end of 2019. The extension means Yokohama Rubber will be the sole tyre supplier to the championship series for nine straight years, starting from 2011.
A month from now, 40 electric racing cars will line up on the grid at the inaugural Formula E Championship race in Beijing. Each of the tyres that take to the track on 13 September will be fitted with identical tyres that were specifically developed for the competition. In a Michelin-hosted Q&A session, the company’s motorsport director Pascal Couasnon explains that the decision that all cars should run on Pilot Sport EV tyres was not simply a strategic option in technology terms; he says it was also an obvious choice.
Addressing speculation about Pirelli’s interest in MotoGP tyre supply after Bridgestone withdraws, Paul Hembery indicates that the Italian tyre maker isn’t pushing for selection. Crash.net reports that the WSBK series remains Pirelli’s focus. “We’re heavily involved with superbikes and the promoter is the same, so we are bound to have been in discussions, but there’s no plans at the moment to do anything,” commented Hembery at the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. “Our motorcycle team are reviewing that, but I have to say as a company we are very happy with our involvement in superbikes.”
On 3 February, Germany’s Continental AG took over full ownership of its joint venture, Zytek Automotive. It previously had a 50 per cent shareholding in the Fradley Park (near Lichfield) company, and following the buy-out is operating it as a part of the Continental Engineering Services (CES) organisation in the United Kingdom. Neither Continental nor former joint venture partner Zytek have disclosed the price paid for the 50 per cent share in Zytek Automotive.
Pirelli has announced an extension to its sponsorship involvement in Formula One. The exclusive tyre supplier will now take title sponsorship of two European grands prix too, taking place in Spain and Hungary. These two rounds will now be titled the Formula 1 Gran Premio De España Pirelli 2014 (May 8-11) and the Formula 1 […]
The Motor Sports Association – governing body of four wheel motor sport – has welcomed the launch of a government consultation regarding a proposed change in the law that would allow motor sport events to take place on closed public roads in Britain. The Road Traffic Act states that it is illegal to organise or take part in a race or trial of speed on the public highway, but the MSA has been pushing successive governments to devolve power to local authorities to enable them to suspend the Road Traffic Act without having to resort to an Act of Parliament.
Tirendo is raffling the chance for a meet and greet with four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel. The face-to-face meeting is set to take place during a Formula 1 event in 2014. According to the company, it will offer the winner and one friend the unique opportunity to meet the professional racer and get to know him from a completely private side.
Pirelli’s already done much to indicate it will remain the sole Formula One tyre supplier in 2014 and beyond, but so far no official agreement to this effect has been formalised. Yet the tyre maker’s motorsport director Paul Hembery says that much of the work towards a new agreement is complete.
Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed whispers that Michelin is readying a move to supply the series in 2014. While it seems that the French manufacturer has confirmed some level of contact with the FIA – thought to be about changes it would require to the series’ regulations to supply its tyres – Ecclestone said this was irrelevant, since Pirelli has a contract with F1’s teams (FOM). He also restated his opposition to competition between tyre manufacturers.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has told Autosport.com he’s proud the team “had the balls” to stand by the criticisms it leveled against the performance of Pirelli’s 2013 Formula One tyres. The negative feedback from Red Bull Racing and company chief Dietrich Mateschitz regarding the tyres’ rapid degradation earlier in the season was dismissed by some competitors as complaints prompted by the team’s own struggles with the tyres – but Horner thinks other teams felt as Red Bull did, only they chose to be less forthright.
Pirelli’s motorsport director has described the absence of a tyre supply contract for next year’s Formula One championship as a “most bizarre situation.” The company’s three-year contract ends at the end of the current season and as a new deal has not been struck it must go ahead with plans for next year without any guarantee that it’ll be selected as tyre supplier.
A third tyre has been added to Pirelli’s trailer and semi-trailer line-up. The new ST:01 Base joins the ST:01 Neverending and Formula Trailer to round out the Italian tyre maker’s range for this market; with the commercial launch of the ST:01 Base in July, Pirelli says its trailer and semi-trailer portfolio now covers “every need from every haulier” and caters to varied priorities, including mileage and retreadability, low rolling resistance or durability – Pirelli says it now offers an answer to each of these.
Information released by Pirelli indicates that its new commercial vehicle second brand, Formula, will be released in steer, drive and trailer fitments; the initial line-up includes five steer sizes, five drive sizes and three trailer sizes. At present, European label ratings are only available for two steer and two drive sizes; the 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 steer tyres both achieved a ‘B’ rating for wet grip, ‘C’ for rolling resistance and 72dB external noise. The size 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 drive tyres were both rated as ‘B’ for wet grip, ‘D’ for rolling resistance and 74dB for external noise. The other nine sizes are ‘in preparation’.
