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.
History was made in Pirelli’s third season supplying the British GT Championship when Flick Haigh became the first woman to be a champion in the series.
Drive Dmack Fiesta Trophy crews face a terrific Tarmac test when the penultimate round of the 2016 series takes place in Germany next week. After three outings on gravel stages, the nine crews will switch to asphalt roads at ADAC Rallye Deutschland where two more prize drives are up for grabs. As the only all-asphalt round of the five-event campaign, and with highly-prized Trophy points up for grabs, it promises to be a captivating encounter. Dmack has also unveiled its latest WRC tarmac tyres, produced in Melksham, UK as part of the brand’s growing relationship with Avon Motorsport.
Dmack has continued to improve its position in the FIA World Rally Championship with recent Drive Dmack team success, supported by newly launched, British manufactured tyres. Following its new gravel tyre range earlier in the 2016 season, the brand is bringing its new range of tarmac tyres to next week’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland – the first all-asphalt round of the series. Playing its mid-season joker, which permits the firm to homologate a new specification asphalt tyre, Dmack will debut a revised version of its dry weather DMT-RC2 along with the all-new DMT-W full wet pattern.
World Rally Championship tyre supplier Dmack secured its best ever FIA World Rally Championship result and first podium at Rally Poland. The Carlisle based brand’s Drive Dmack team lead for the majority of its 70th WRC event; Estonian driver Ott Tänak and co-driver Raigo Mõlder finished second after a dramatic final day. Dick Cormack, Dmack managing director, said: “It’s certainly been a weekend to remember for everyone at DMACK. We’ve been striving to compete at this level and this event marks a real turning point for us. Ott and Raigo have stunned everyone this weekend with their pace and the result has driven our enthusiasm to reach the top.”
One of the UK’s most prestigious rally events celebrates two important landmarks this weekend, with its title sponsor and tyre supplier at centre stage. The Pirelli Carlisle Rally – part of the British Rally Championship 2016 following the series’ relaunch – runs its 40th edition, and 25th under the Italian manufacturer’s name. Pirelli said its British Rally Championship stars would fight to deliver a victory on the home ground of high-speed gravel roads in the Kielder Forest. The rally consists of seven stages over Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, totalling 75 competitive miles.
Dmack has partnered with rally preparation experts M-Sport and publication Motorsport News to launch a Young Driver Award. The judging process will aim to find the next rising star to join the Dmack British Rally Team. The Dmack M-Sport Motorsport News Rally Driver Award is the second initiative introduced by Dmack to support career progression among competitors in the new-look 2016 MSA British Rally Championship (BRC).
Yokohama HPT, the Japanese tyre manufacturer’s UK distributor, will continue to support young drivers and their progression through motorsport in the UK in 2016. YHPT will continue to support starter forms of motorsport for young drivers as well as a route to allow them to progress through the ranks in the three main disciplines: circuit racing, rallying and rallycross.
Round two of the 2015 Rally World Championship provided testing conditions for the four tyre suppliers – Michelin, Dmack, Pirelli and Hankook – allowing tyre characteristics to take centre stage. Ice, fresh and melting snow, mud and frozen dirt, meant that studs were employed for winter traction – 384 in each Michelin X-Ice North 3, for example. However, this meant that carrying extra tyres made for faster running, Jacques Morelli, manager of Michelin’s World Rally Championship programme, explained.