February 27, 2020 |
Electrifying racing: Goodyear confirmed as official tyre supplier for Pure ETCR
Goodyear is developing a bespoke tyre for Pure ETCR, which will incorporate a combination of technologies inspired by Goodyear’s latest electric vehicle tyres and the new Eagle F1 SuperSport ultra-high-performance range. The definitive specification of the tyre will be unveiled in the spring, ahead of the first Pure ETCR event.
Goodyear will use a proven motorsport construction, but with a tread design that means the Pure ETCR drivers can use the same tyres in both wet and dry conditions, thus reducing the number of tyres that need to be taken to each event. This is in line with Goodyear and Pure ETCR’s mission of working together to find sustainable solutions for the future of mobility and motorsport.
Mike Rytokoski, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Goodyear Europe, said: “Goodyear is a leader in electric vehicle tyre development. In Europe, half of our original equipment tyre developments are for EVs and hybrids.
“We bring a great deal of experience to ETCR in developing tyres for electric vehicles. High-performance road electric vehicles have very different needs to their petrol or diesel equivalents. They are heavier and have more torque, delivered immediately. Goodyear has developed tyres that can cope with this instant power delivery, delivering high grip and traction, hand in hand with low rolling resistance to increase range and efficiency. Our partnership with Pure ETCR is much more than just supplying race tyres. Together, we will use racing to develop technology to thrill the next generation of high-performance drivers.”
Pure ETCR will be promoted by Eurosport Events; the same organisation behind the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, which Goodyear will also supply in 2020, and will feature high-performance, production-based cars from numerous manufacturers.
The innovative format of the racing, which is designed on a number of short, action-packed, wheel-to-wheel heats, all building towards a Grand Final, requires the tyres to perform instantly. As the drivers will want to go flat out from the start, the focus for Goodyear will be to ensure the tyres warm-up rapidly, as well as having the consistency to be raced hard throughout the event.
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the Pure ETCR promoter, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Goodyear to Pure ETCR as a founding partner of the series. Goodyear has a unique racing legacy and is all about performance and innovation; a perfect partner for our new modern electric racing flagship. This venture perfectly complements our partnership with Goodyear in WTCR, which we also expect to be highly successful. With a bespoke high-performance, all-weather design, fewer tyres need to be produced for Pure ETCR and this aligns perfectly with our sustainability commitments. We have no doubt that Goodyear will be a first-class partner on the technical and marketing fronts of Pure ETCR, a great platform to activate Goodyear #backtoracing.”
Goodyear’s return to motorsport
Since the announcement of Goodyear’s return to international motorsport last Summer, the tyre manufacturer has taken an FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 win with Jota Sport, and Jackie Chan DC Racing heads the title race. Goodyear’s comeback also includes becoming the official tyre supplier for the FIA World Touring Car Cup, returning to German and UK motorsport (as the new sole tyre supplier for the British Touring Car Championship) and supplying tyres to leading European Le Mans Series teams.
Source: Goodyear
