Tag: Le Mans
Michelin named official tyre supplier to WEC Hypercar class
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has announced a three-season deal with Michelin for the supply of tyres to the new top class of endurance racing, poised to take to the track in the 2020-21 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Avon Tyres, Aston Martin Le Mans victory to be celebrated
Avon Tyres will celebrate its famous victory at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans with Aston Martin during this year’s Autumn Classic at Castle Combe on 5 October. Established in 2012, the Autumn Classic has developed into a popular event on the classic racing calendar, providing grids full of spectacular cars from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Apollo Tyres’ Thelma truck to race at Le Mans ‘one more time’
The Apollo Tyres TOR Truck Racing team will bring its racing truck ‘Thelma’ to Le Mans on 28-29 September for its final 2019 appearance on track. The team has been making a few alterations to the racing truck following a successful weekend at the ‘Convoy in the Park’ event at Donington in August, in preparation for the penultimate rounds of the European Truck Racing Championship.
Goodyear, Brabham Automotive unveil global partnership
Goodyear and Brabham Automotive have announced a new partnership to collaborate across racing and road car developments. The new partnership both coincides with the return to racing of the Brabham marque and reignites a winning partnership that began in 1965.
Goodyear returns to Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship
When Goodyear launched its Eagle F1 series and Supersport tyres back in April, the company said this branding decision meant Goodyear was coming “back to the track”. Now we know precisely what this means as Goodyear has announced that it will re-enter European and International sportscar racing by developing a new range of tyres for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the Le Mans 24-hour race.
Dunlop’s ‘most successful’ status continues at Le Mans, Isle of Man
Dunlop’s long record of success at the Le Mans 24 hours and the Isle of Man TT was continued in 2018, though the tyre brand added victories in other four and two-wheel series too.
Dunlop takes over from Bridgestone as Saroléa technical partner
After four years of partnership with Bridgestone, Belgian motorcycle brand Saroléa has now selected Dunlop as a technical partner for its Saroléa SP7 electric racing motorcycle. Dunlop comments that the change of technical partner accompanies yesterday’s announcement of the next goal for Saroléa, which is to be recognised as a candidate for future Le Mans 24h and FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) competition and thus directly compete with the most powerful petrol-powered EWC machines. The switch, adds Dunlop, was a move Saroléa made “to help achieve this goal.”
Dunlop Sport Maxx Race 2 approved by Porsche for new 911 GT3 RS
The new Dunlop Sport Maxx Race 2 has been approved by Porsche as original equipment for the new 911 GT3 RS. The tyre brand will supply sizes 265/35ZR20 (99Y) XL and 325/30ZR21 (108Y) XL to Porsche, both tyres carrying the N1 marking to indicate Porsche homologation.
Le Mans 24 Hours: Dunlop reviews ‘race of the century’
Dunlop’s Le Mans 24 Hours 2017 is one to remember with records broken, overall race laps led, and overall podiums in addition to the more typical class wins and podiums, in a race with high temperatures testing cars and drivers. Track temperatures exceeded 50 degrees towards the end of Sunday’s race in France’s Sarthe region.
Dunlop’s Le Mans challenge with new GT tyre regulations
Last year, Dunlop returned to GT racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), taking the Teams’ and Drivers’ titles, five wins and nine podium finishes with Aston Martin Racing. The experience the tyre maker gained, however, is of limited help, as a complete change in tyre regulations was introduced for the 2017 season. These changes place fresh demands upon the tyres used and bring different criteria for Dunlop’s tyre designers and engineers to focus on.
Video: Vincent van Goor explains Dunlop LMP2 tyre development for Le Mans
Dunlop has released a new video with senior engineer, racing car tyre development, Vincent van Goor explaining its tyre development ahead of this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. A record number of LMP2 cars will compete on the manufacturer’s rubber – 22 of the 25 entrants. All of the cars are racing on the La Sarthe track for the first time courtesy of new regulations for 2017. The race starts at 15:00 CEST on Saturday 17 June.
Pirelli renews Le Mans Village On The Curves sponsorship
Pirelli has renewed its sponsorship of the Village on the Curves at Le Mans for 2017, as part of the Italian tyre company’s relationship with Porsche Club GB. The Village on the Curve is a camping village located on the Porsche Curves at the French circuit. Porsche owners flock to the village to enjoy the views of the track and community atmosphere.
No Le Mans win, but Bridgestone back on motorcycle championship podium
Earlier this month, Bridgestone’s Nico Thuy commented that the tyre maker was “aiming for great results with our new team partners” during the year’s FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) series, and during the second round event this goal was realised with a second-place finish. On 16 April, some 75,000 spectators watched the YART Yamaha Official EWC Team finish the 24 Heures Motos Le Mans less than 20 seconds behind fellow Yamaha-backed team GMT 94. The two teams finished 12 laps ahead of the rest of the field.
Bridgestone aims for ‘glorious return’ at Le Mans 24 Hours Moto
Bridgestone is upbeat about its first race back in world championship motorcycle competition, after the YART Yamaha Official EWC Team on Bridgestone tyres topped preliminary testing at Le Mans on 28 and 29 March.
2 Porsche WEC teams switch to Dunlop tyres
FIA World Endurance Championship Porsche teams Dempsey-Proton and Gulf Racing will run on Dunlop tyres in their global campaigns following comparative testing. Both teams have experience of working with Dunlop in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), where the brand is the sole tyre supplier to the LMGTE class. Both teams will race in the LMGTE AM class of WEC, including the Le Mans 24 hour race.