engine issue to put the car out. The LMP1 machine would return for the final two
races of the season in Japan and China with a new Honda engine and with ...
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Dunlop’s 2012
Hall of Fame 2012 REVIEW
MOTORSPORT
hall of fame 2012 has been a successful year for Dunlop in both the realms of four and two wheeled championships. Here we take a look back at some of the best and most memorable moments with our 2012 Hall of Fame gallery.
2012
VLN ends early ...but Dunlop wins
Dunlop was represented throughout the grid in the German-based VLN Series in 2012 and it was a Dunlop-shod team that would emerge victorious when the championship campaign drew to a premature conclusion. The series, which races on the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife and caters from a wide range of cars from the latest GT3 machinery down to small saloons, featured a hard-fought title battle as teams from the different classes looked to secure the overall crown. Heading into the final round it was Christian Krognes, Dominik Brinkmann and Ullrich Andree who topped the points in their Dunlop-shod Volkswagen Scirocco GT24. When the tenth race of the year was then cancelled on safety grounds after freezing temperatures and snow, their record of seven SP3T class wins in nine starts was enough to beat Renault Clio pairing Elmar Jurek and Jannik Olivio to the crown. Alongside its championship success, Dunlop also secured some impressive results in the nine races that took place - with at least one Dunlop-shod car on the overall podium on eight occasions. There were also three Dunlop victories in nine starts, the first of which came thanks to BMW Team Schubert after Dirk Adorf, Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller took victory in a challenging season opener that was halted early due to fog. The remaining two wins came thanks to Dunlop’s development partner ROWE Racing, with Jan Seyffarth and Alexander Roloff victorious in round five by less than four-tenths of a second. The pair were then joined at the wheel of their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 by Thomas Jäger to win round seven, where they tied the distance record of 42 laps for a six hour race. However, covering the distance quicker than anyone in the past, the trio did take the honour of winning the ‘fastest’ six hour event.
New World Order The 2012 season marked a new dawn for sportscar racing with the introduction of the FIA World Endurance Championship – which would be decided over eight races, including the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Dunlop would have a key part to play in the inaugural season, with every competitor in the highly-competitive LMP2 class choosing to race on Dunlop tyres, while there were also part-season entries from Dunlop teams in both LMP1 and GTE-Am. With the LMP1 championship being a two-horse race between the factory Audi and Toyota teams, the fight for the LMP2 title would prove to be one of the most enthralling of the season.
Starworks Star
LMP1
For Dunlop’s LMP1 development partner OAK Racing, it would be a challenging season in the premier class despite a positive start at Sebring where Guillaume Moreau was the best-placed petrol qualifier in fifth overall. Sadly, the Judd-powered OAK Pescarolo was forced to start at the back of the grid after failing a stall test and was then put into retirement by engine trouble. Another solid run at Spa also ended in disappointment when suspension failure just minutes from the end meant another DNF. A huge accident in the Le Mans test saw Moreau sidelined with a spinal injury, with the team bringing former Peugeot factory man Frank Montagny onboard for the race only for another engine issue to put the car out. The LMP1 machine would return for the final two races of the season in Japan and China with a new Honda engine and with ex-F1 man Takuma Sato as one of the drivers, and picked up a brace of top eight finishes in class. After showing strong pace and maximising the performance of its Dunlop tyres, the team ended the season fourth in the LMP1 Trophy standings for privateer teams. Dunlop’s other representative came in the GTE-Am class, with the Krohn Racing Ferrari running on Dunlop rubber for the opening three races of the year. Having finished fifth in class at both Sebring and Spa, Nic Jonsson, Michele Rugulo and team boss Tracy Krohn then took second amongst the WEC runners at Le Mans.
The fact that each of the competing teams was using the same Dunlop tyres only served to make the class even more competitive with Starworks eventually coming out on top of the pile with its HPD ARX-03b. Starworks took a stunning overall podium at Sebring and added victories at Le Mans - where the HPD was the first Dunlop-shod car home in seventh overall – and in Sao Paulo. That gave the American team the LMP2 trophy with a race to spare ahead of ADR-Delta – winners on four occasions at Spa, Silverstone, Fuji and Shanghai – and Pecom Racing, who took victory in Bahrain. Starworks driver Enzo Potolicchio also finished an impressive ninth in the drivers’ standings; the only non-LMP1 driver to achieve the feat and the highest placed man to have raced on Dunlop tyres. “We must congratulate Starworks Motorsport, and their drivers Ryan Dalziel, Enzo Potolicchio and Stéphane Sarrazin for winning the LMP2 category,” Dunlop Motorsport’s general manager Jean-Felix Bazelin said. “LMP2 features the most cars and the closest racing with everyone on Dunlop tyres, so to have achieved their goal with a race to go against this competitive backdrop is a fantastic achievement and we offer them our praise.”
Le Mans action both sides of the Atlantic American Le Mans Series
Dunlop would again be at the centre of some titanic battles on US soil as an enthralling battle for supremacy in the American Le Mans Series was fought throughout the classes. In the premier P1 class, Dyson Racing flew the flag for Dunlop as it took the challenge to HPD against rivals Pickett Racing. Chris Dyson and Guy Smith took the early lead in the points with class victory at Sebring and would also take P1 honours at Road America and Petit Le Mans, while team-mates Eric Lux and Michael Marsal were the first P1 car home in Baltimore. The end result was second in the drivers’ standings for Dyson and Smith, with the team falling just five points short of winning the teams’ title.
GT
The highly competitive GT class would take many of the headlines during the season, with BMW Team RLL again leading the Dunlop challenge. The team would take two wins during the season – at Sebring and Road America – en-route to second place behind the factory Corvette team in the team standings, while fellow Dunlop team Paul Miller Racing ended the year sixth with its Porsche 997 RSR.
Level 5 for P2 The P2 class would see victories shared between the two Dunlopshod teams, with Level 5 pair Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut beating Conquest Endurance drivers Martin Plowman and David Heinemeier Hansson to the title. Tucker and Bouchut also took an overall victory in Baltimore.
Race derived
Grip and B raking for the road
Euro-zone Dunlop shod teams featured heavily on the entry list for the European Le Mans Series, with 14 of the 21 cars that contested the opening race of the year running on Dunlop tyres. Thiriet by TDS Racing took honours at Paul Ricard in the top P2 class with the GTE Pro battle going to the wire before JMW Motorsport edged out fellow Ferrari team JMB to win the season opener in France. Calendar changes saw a number of teams invited to join the World Endurance Championship event at Spa where JOTA, beat the series regulars to clinch an impressive P2 victory. Donington Park became the second round of the ELMS season with OAK Racing taking overall honours and JMW picking up a second GT Pro success. Proposed races at Brno
and Portimao were replaced by an invitation to join the ALMS finale at Petit Le Mans with four P2 teams making the trip Stateside. Thiriet by TDS Racing would end up being first car home after taking third place amongst the P2 cars on an allDunlop class podium – giving the French team the championship title. Despite missing Petit Le Mans, JMW took the GTE Pro title, giving Dunlop championship success in two of the four classes. The series will be re-launched in 2013 with a five-race calendar including races at Silverstone, Imola and the Red Bull Ring having been announced.
New short braking blocks Massive outer for reduced braking shoulder blocks for distance improved stability
www.dunlop.eu
New adaptive compound for enhanced grip on wet and dry
Light construction carcass to improve fuel efficiency
Sheddenism
Four Wheels Good Dunlop’s four-wheeled activities around the globe incorporated a wide range of championships, all of which produced thrilling action once again during the course of the 2012 season.
New Radicals
Also on British shores, the Dunlop Radical UK Cup title was another that wasn’t won until the finale with Tony Wells and James Littlejohn going from fourth to first during the final weekend of the 2012 season at Snetterton. The series - which features a Masters Class for drivers using the Radical SR8 and a Supersport Class for the Radical SR3 – featured bumper grids throughout the campaign, most notably for the events at Spa, Silverstone and Donington which saw the UK series race alongside its European counterpart. Heading into the final rounds of the year it was Supersport driver Colin Noble who held the points lead but the championship momentum was with Masters duo Wells and Littlejohn after they took victory in the penultimate meeting of the year at Donington. The pair duly won the first race on the final weekend of racing when Littlejohn battled ahead of fellow title contender Zac Chapman to ensure that the championship wouldn’t be decided until the final race. Needing to win to take the title, Wells edged out Manhal Allos to secure victory in the final race of the year by just a second – taking the championship crown in the process.
As has become the norm, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship featured a dramatic battle for championship honours as Honda drivers Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal went up against the MG of Jason Plato in the race for the crown. After 30 races around the UK it was Shedden who emerged on top of the pile to lift the title for the first time; the Scot winning on eight occasions to beat outgoing champion Neal by 21 points with Plato left to settle for third. The three title protagonists shared 19 wins between them, while there were also wins for Rob Collard, Mat Jackson, Andrew Jordan, Dave Newsham, Aron Smith and Frank Wrathall – the final three all winning for the first time.
It would prove to be a big season for the series as many of the leading teams switched to cars built to the BTCC’s Next Generation Touring Car regulations – with 22 of the 30 race wins going to NGTC-spec cars. Those cars were all fitted with Dunlop’s latest 18–inch tyre, which proved to be a strong performer in all conditions.
Supercar Showdown Back in Europe meanwhile, the Supercar Challenge powered by Dunlop again featured its usual eclectic mix of machinery, all of which were competing on Dunlop tyres. The overall title would be decided in dramatic fashion between GT Division title winner Barry Maessen and Sport II Division champion Rob Nieman – both of whom ended the year having scored 289 points in their respective classes. As a result, the overall championship was decided on race wins, with seven successes for Maessen at the wheel of his Dodge Viper SRT10 GT3 being enough to beat Nieman, who won five times in class in his Renault Clio. Elsewhere, Super GT honours went to Porsche driver Diederick Sijthoff while there was success in GTB for Aston Martin racer Kees Kreijne. Koen Bogaerts and Pieter van Soelen clinched the Supersport Division crown by a single point in their BMW after edging out brothers Ferry and Robin Monster while Sports Division 1 was also won by BMW drivers; John van der Voort and Priscilla Speelman being victorious in their BMW 1 Series. The 2013 calendar for the series has already been revealed, confirming a race in Slovakia for the first time at the Slovakia Ring near Bratislava.
GT OPEN Open all the Way
‘YOU BEAUT!’ At the time of writing, the Australian V8 Supercar Championship – which runs exclusively on Dunlop tyres - has two rounds still to run, four drivers still in contention for the title. Defending champion Jamie Whincup remains the man to beat at the wheel of his Team Vodafone Holden Commodore with a 296 point lead over Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom. Whincup’s team-mate Craig Lowndes and Will Davison in the second FPR car are also still in contention but Whincup remains the overwhelming favourite to lift the crown for a fourth time. His apparent march towards the title came on the back of eleven wins in 26 starts, including a hat-trick at Yas Marina in the Abu Dhabi GP support event and a dramatic success alongside Paul Dumbrell at Bathurst when he saw off the challenge of David Reynolds to win by just three-tenths of a second. Whincup’s victory in the third race at Yas Marina also marked the 100th for the Holden VE Commodore – making it the first model in series history to reach the mark. Showing the strength at the front of the field, the four title contenders had shared 25 of the 26 wins, with Shane van Gisbergen the only other regular driver to have taken to the top step of the podium.
The Dunlop-supported International GT Open title went all the way to the wire in 2013, with a three-way title fight between Kessel Ferrari, Manthey Racing Porsche and Villois Racing Aston Martin, which was only decided after the final race of the season in Barcelona. Going into the final race of the year, just 15 points covered the top three teams in the standings. It was AF Corse duo Gianmaria Bruni and Federico Leo who held the top spot when the race got underway on a wet circuit, after a storm hit shortly before the start. Leo started from the pit-lane but he and Bruni worked their way forwards into sixth. All of that effort wasn’t enough to beat race leaders Nick Tandy and Marco Holzer (Manthey Racing Porsche) to the crown. In the closing stages however, Bruni made up the two places required to ensure the Ferrari pair beat their Porsche rivals to the title by just three points. Leo and Bruni’s championship came after a tough start, where they failed to score in three of the first four races. However seven podium finishes – including three wins – were enough to beat Tandy and Holzer by just three points, despite the Manthey duo taking five victories. Alvaro Barba and Matteo Malucelli (Villois Racing Aston Martin) won on four occasions but would end the year 16 points off top spot in third. Bruni and Leo also clinched the Super GT title, a point clear of Tandy and Holzer, while the GTS crown went to Daniel Zampieri and Michael Dalle Stelle (of Kessel Ferrari); the pair finishing the year three points clear of fellow Ferrari driver Stefano Bizzarri.
Construction What makes a tyre? Learn the component parts and the high technology that does into a racing or road tyre.
2 SEASON
MOTO
REVIEW
Traction Without Traction you won’t go forwards. Dunlop and Moto2 team technicians as well as riders explain what’s needed.
Marquez makes his Mark Marc Marquez became a Dunlop World Champion for the second time by securing the 2012 Moto2 title in the penultimate round of the season in Australia. It was an especially emotional moment for Marquez and his team. The former 125cc World Champion feared for his career after struggling with double vision problems this winter, but returned better than ever to win eight of the 16 races by Phillip Island. Marquez said: “It’s an incredible feeling, a dream. When I remember the hard times and the support of my family and team, I cannot help but get emotional.” Marquez then went on to deliver one of his greatest grand prix performances at the Valencia season finale. Starting last on the grid after a penalty, the 19-year-old Spaniard perfectly exploited his Dunlop rain tyres as he rode all the way through the field to first place and a ninth victory of the season! “I surprised myself!” smiled Marquez. “When I saw it was raining I had my doubts because it is harder to pass, but I kept pushing at the limit on every lap. If the title was in play I would have stayed put, but I wanted to see if I could get lucky...” Prior to joining Moto2, Marquez had won ten 125cc races and the 2010 Championship with Dunlop. “125cc taught me to be quick on the bike. Moto2, however, is the category of consistency,” explained Marquez. “In Moto2 I have learnt to think on the bike: sometimes you cannot win and must pick up as many points as possible.” Like the previous Moto2 Champions, Toni Elias and Stefan Bradl, Marquez is now moving on to MotoGP.
Fastest Yet! Moto2’s third season was the fastest yet, with new race lap records at eleven of the 17 rounds. It was also the closest, with nine races won by less than one-second. Three different riders led the World Championship and five won a grand prix. It is against that backdrop, and despite missing most of pre-season testing, that Marquez has raised the bar for both season and all-time Moto2 victories. A seven-time winner and title runner-up in his rookie 2011 campaign, Marquez put his winter woes behind him with victory in two of the opening three rounds, either side of a debut win for Pol Espargaro - who also enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2012. The title lead then changed hands three times in the next three races - first to Espargaro, then Thomas Luthi, before returning to Marquez following round six at Silverstone. Marquez hammered home his Championship advantage with five wins during the middle part of the season, with the first of his remarkable comeback rides occurring at Motegi, when the Suter star was almost last into turn one, before riding to victory. As well as Marquez (9) and nearest rival Espargaro (4) the other 2012 race winners were Andrea Iannone (2), Thomas Luthi (1) and Alex de Angelis (1). In terms of all-time Moto2 wins, Marquez tops the list with 16, followed by eight for Iannone.
Moto2 and Dunlop Moto2, featuring 600cc four-stroke motorcycles, replaced the 250cc two-stroke World Championship at the start of 2010. Dunlop, which had long dominated the 250GP category, was the natural choice to support the new class as exclusive tyre supplier, helping create a smooth and successful transition. Dunlop provides equal tyres and technical support to the 30+ riders, representing eight different Constructors. A shortlist of two (out of three) front compounds and two (out of five) rear compounds are made available for each event, plus an additional allocation of wet tyres. Tyre development is continuous, as proven by the plummeting lap times, with Dunlop bringing developmental 2013 tyres for testing just one day after the final race of 2012! While Marquez, Iannone and Bradley Smith move on to MotoGP, a new intake of young stars will be stepping up to Moto2 for 2013 - led by Moto3 World Champion Sandro Cortese.
Round 1
Event Losail, Qatar
Winner Marc Marquez
Dry / Wet
Track Temp(o)
Dunlop Front Tyre
Dunlop Rear Tyre
New Lap
Title Leader
Dry
24
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 ATR10 3855
Yes
Marc Marquez
2
Jerez, Spain
Pol Espargaro
Dry-Wet
15
120/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3854
3
Estoril, Portugal
Marc Marquez
Dry
32
120/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 4886
4
Le Mans, France
Thomas Luthi
Wet
14
125/80R17 KR191 414
190/55R17 KR393 414
5
Catalunya, Spain
Andrea Iannone
Dry
40
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3838
Yes
Thomas Luthi
6
Silverstone, Great Britain
Pol Espargaro
Dry
17
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3838
Yes
Marc Marquez
7
Assen, The Netherlands
Marc Marquez
Dry
26
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3854
Yes
Marc Marquez
8
Sachsenring, Germany
Marc Marquez
Dry
43
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 ATR14 3838
Yes
Marc Marquez
9
Mugello, Italy
Andrea Iannone
Dry
43
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3838
Yes
Marc Marquez
10
Indianapolis, USA
Marc Marquez
Dry
42
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3838
Yes
Marc Marquez
11
Brno, Czech Republic
Marc Marquez
Dry
21
125/75R17 Moto2 717
195/75R17 Moto2 4886
12
Misano, San Marino
Marc Marquez
Dry
27
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3854
13
Aragon, Spain
Pol Espargaro
Dry
22
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 3838
14
Motegi, Japan
Marc Marquez
Dry
23
125/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 Moto2 4886
15
Sepang, Malaysia
Alex de Angelis
Wet
31
125/80R17 KR191 414
190/55R17 KR393 414
16
Phillip Island, Australia
Pol Espargaro
Dry
26
120/75R17 Moto2 302
195/75R17 ATR14 3838
17
Valencia, Spain
Marc Marquez
Wet
15
125/80R17 KR191 414
190/55R17 KR393 414
Marc Marquez Yes
Marc Marquez Pol Espargaro
Marc Marquez Yes
Marc Marquez Marc Marquez
Yes
Marc Marquez Marc Marquez
Yes
Marc Marquez Marc Marquez
3 SEASON
MOTO
REVIEW
Chassis vs Tyres Tyres to suit the chassis or chassis to suit the tyres. Learn more from Dunlop’s Moto2 activities with technicians and riders.
Cortese Makes History Sandro Cortese made history by becoming the first ever Moto3 World Champion at Sepang in Malaysia, during a thrilling debut season for the newest four-stroke grand prix class. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider only needed a podium to secure his first grand prix crown with two rounds remaining. But in keeping with the exciting all-Dunlop Moto3 Championship, Cortese instead pushed flat-out for victory. The 22-year-old German passed home star Zulfahmi Khairuddin at the final turn and won by just 0.028s. “I can’t believe I have taken the title with a victory!” grinned Cortese, proudly wearing his yellow ‘Dunlop World Champion’ cap. Cortese then celebrated in style with his first win as a World Champion - and fifth of the season - at Phillip Island, but was caught out by team-mate Danny Kent in the wet Valencia season finale. The Englishman claimed his second grand prix win with a daring pass on Cortese at the last turn of the Moto3 season - Khairuddin snatching third from rookie Brad Binder at almost the same moment and completing a podium covered by just 0.114s!
Magnificent Seven One of Moto3’s main goals was to allow up-and-coming riders the chance to showcase their talent - and with seven different winners from 17 events, few can argue that it has not been a success. Cortese’s title victory was achieved through consistency rather than domination, with the KTM star the only rider to score points in every race and off the podium just twice in the 17 rounds. Cortese had won just two races during seven seasons of 125cc competition, but was a contender from the start of Moto3, claiming pole for the inaugural race in Qatar and leading the Championship after his first victory in round three at Estoril. But he was just one of four different winners in the opening four rounds, with FTR-Honda rider Maverick Vinales then regaining the title initiative with successive victories at Catalunya, Silverstone and Assen. Cortese responded with a home victory at the Sachsenring, round eight, and was never headed in the Championship thereafter, adding another win at Misano prior to his decisive Sepang performance. As well as Cortese (5), Vinales (5) and Kent (2) the other Moto3 race winners were Luis Salom (2), Romano Fenati (1), Louis Rossi (1) and Jonas Folger (1). Cortese is stepping up to the all-Dunlop Moto2 World Championship for 2013.
Moto3 and Dunlop Moto3, featuring 250cc four-stroke motorcycles, replaced the technically outdated (but much loved) two-stroke 125cc World Championship, which was formed in 1949 and long dominated by Dunlop. Having been selected as the exclusive Moto3 tyre supplier, Dunlop was able to provide a crucial link between the past and future of the smallest grand prix class during its transition. Dunlop created three slick tyre compounds for Moto3 - a Hard, Medium and Soft - with a shortlist of two front and two rear compounds made available to every rider at each event. A total of 17 slick tyres (8 front and 9 rear) are provided for the six track sessions held, with a separate allocation of wet tyres. The three slick compounds not only have to cope with season-long contrasts in circuit characteristics and climatic conditions, but also a vast range of machinery. As had been hoped, the new Moto3 class has caught the eye of both mainstream manufacturers and dedicated race-specialists. Five different types of motorcycle celebrated a podium finish, and no less than eleven scored World Championship points. But perhaps the biggest winners have been the fans, who saw 11 out of the 17 races won by less than one-second! Roll on 2013…
Round
Event
Winner
1
Losail, Qatar
2 3
Dry / Wet
Track Temp(o)
Dunlop Front Tyre
Dunlop Rear Tyre
Title Leader
Maverick Vinales
Dry
28
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Maverick Vinales
Jerez, Spain
Romano Fenati
Dry-Wet
14
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Romano Fenati
Estoril, Portugal
Sandro Cortese
Dry
34
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
4
Le Mans, France
Louis Rossi
Wet
11
95/70R17 KR189 WB
115/70R17 KR389 WB
Sandro Cortese
5
Catalunya, Spain
Maverick Vinales
Dry
33
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
6
Silverstone, Great Britain
Maverick Vinales
Dry
30
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Maverick Vinales
7
Assen, The Netherlands
Maverick Vinales
Dry
32
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Maverick Vinales
8
Sachsenring, Germany
Sandro Cortese
Wet-Dry
32
95/70R17 KR189 WB
115/70R17 KR389 WB
Sandro Cortese
9
Mugello, Italy
Maverick Vinales
Dry
40
95/75R17 Moto3 H
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
10
Indianapolis, USA
Luis Salom
Dry
33
95/75R17 Moto3 H
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
11
Brno, Czech Republic
Jonas Folger
Wet-Dry
21
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
12
Misano, San Marino
Sandro Cortese
Dry
16
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
13
Aragon, Spain
Luis Salom
Dry
16
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
14
Motegi, Japan
Danny Kent
Dry
25
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
15
Sepang, Malaysia
Sandro Cortese
Dry
48
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
16
Phillip Island, Australia
Sandro Cortese
Dry
22
95/75R17 Moto3 M
115/75R17 Moto3 M
Sandro Cortese
17
Valencia, Spain
Danny Kent
Wet
12
95/70R17 KR191 WB
115/70R17 KR389 WB
Sandro Cortese
What we learn from the wet
Misano 16/9
WE RACE, YOU WIN Derived from the race dominating D211 GP, the GP RACER D211 sets a reference for track day tyres *
Dunlop Motorsport’s, Race Design and Development Manager Sebastien Montet explains what Dunlop learns from racing in the wet and explains the mutually beneficial relationship from Dunlop pushing the boundaries on road and on track. What do we learn from dry racing conditions which is applicable to road tyre developments? Mainly it is compound and construction technology we transfer from race to road. For example, our latest motorcycle road tyres such as the Sportmax SportSmart feature NTEC Technology which allows the rider to optimise the tyre by adjusting inflation pressure for road or track use. This is one of our motorsport derived technologies. In car tyres, the construction of our latest Sport Maxx RT tyre has a race derived profile design that provides stability from high speed braking and has a compound derived from racing. What do we learn from wet and variable racing conditions which is applicable to road tyre developments? Our Le Mans racing tyres have a block design that is derived from our high performance road tyres. The long Mulsanne straight at 200mph in wet conditions tells us a lot about how to evacuate water quickly from underneath a tyre to provide confidence, grip and stability. We have invested a lot in compound technology that provides the driver with more confidence in cooler conditions (in the same way that a winter tyre provides a road driver with confidence below 7°C). Most of all, our research into wet tyres it leads to implementing new ingredients of tread compound to road tyres which are then tuned for their different applications. How does water on the road stop a slick tyre from performing as it would in the dry? Aquaplaning occurs when tyres lose physical contact with the road surface as they begin riding on a layer of water, in much the same way as a surfboard will skim over the surface of a wave. When a vehicle reaches a speed the tyre tread pattern is unable to disperse the surface water from beneath it quickly enough. That is the point we see the rush to the pits to change to intermediate or full wet tyres. If there could only be one tyre type for motorsport (no separate wet or intermediate) what would it look like? We already have one! The Dunlop Direzza car tyre or D212 GP Pro motorcycle tyres are designed for trackdays where riders and drivers don’t want the complexity and expense of having different wheels and tyres for different conditions. These are essentially race tyres with a shallow tread pattern that can deal with surface water. They are also used as race tyres in many championships that specify that a road legal tyre has to be used.
What are the jobs of a car tyre’s tread pattern? The first function of the tread pattern is to clear water, the tread compound itself then ensures the right grip level. On a road car the combination of compound and tread pattern has to provide the optimal mix of abilities between stability, braking, traction in wet and dry conditions – and also lower road noise too. A wet race tyre is only used in wet conditions, so rather than worry about how to make it work in the dry too, we can focus its performance on providing the maximum grip in the wet – with no compromises. How does the tread pattern impact on grip – cornering, acceleration and braking, wet weather performance, tyre noise and rolling resistance? On a road car we have to look at the needs of the customer. Some car manufacturers, particularly supercar manufacturers, want the focus to be on dry braking and outright grip. Most high performance car manufacturers have to balance these needs with the continual quest to lower road noise and improve fuel economy. That’s where our experience in tyre construction and tread patterns can help achieve all of these aims. For example, Sport Maxx RT features irregular tread blocks to break up the noise frequency but combined into a tread pattern that, based on our experience with racing tyres, provides great high speed wet grip.
* To date the D211 GP race tyre has won over 170 podiums and 25 rider championships.
www.dunlopmotorcycle.eu
NTEC system allows riders to lower tyre pressure for optimum track day grip and handling.
Multi-Tread compound rear for all-round traction, grip, comfort, handling and extended mileage
JLB for Increased stability for heavier sports touring bikes and a front tread pattern optimised for shorter braking distances
2013 AMA Supercross Calendar:
2013 AMA Supercross Preview Dunlop will defend its perfect sweep of AMA Supercross titles with another star-studded rider line-up for the 2013 season, which begins at Angel Stadium, Anaheim on January 5. AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, is the most glamorous off-road motorcycle series in the world, played out in front of sell-out crowds in stadiums across North America - complete with huge jumps, pyrotechnics and pom-pom girls. In the premier (450cc) class, Dunlop-Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto will be making his much anticipated return in pursuit of a third successive Supercross crown, having missed the Outdoor Motocross season due to knee surgery. But Villopoto faces a tough challenge, with fellow Dunlop riders - and former Champions - Ryan Dungey (Red Bull KTM), Chad Reed (TwoTwo Motorsports) and James Stewart (Yoshimura Suzuki) among those with their eyes fixed firmly on the same prize. Also on Dunlops will be 2012 title runner-up Davi Millsaps (Rockstar Suzuki), perennial contender Mike Alessi (MotoConcepts), ever-popular veteran Kevin Windham (GEICO Honda) and exciting young gun Justin Barcia (Honda Muscle Milk) - stepping up to the top class as a double winner of the East Coast Lites Championship. Former 250cc Lites Champions Trey Canard (Honda Muscle Milk), Jake Weimer (Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Broc Tickle (Dodge/ Sycuan Casino/Suzuki) are also on this year’s
450cc Dunlop roster, alongside proven main event winners Andrew Short (Chaparral Honda) and Josh Hill (Dodge/Sycuan Casino/ Suzuki). Reigning West Coast Champion Eli Tomac (GEICO Honda) leads Dunlop’s 2013 Lites line-up, with team-mates Justin Bogle, Zach Osbourne and Wil Hahn also sure to be in the mix. Red Bull KTM has retained World Motocross Champions Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin - both getting ever stronger on American soil - while the multi-title winning Monster Energy/ Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad have signed Blake Baggett, Darryn Durham and Martin Davalos. Blake Wharton (Rockstar Suzuki) and Troy Lee Designs Honda team-mates Cole Seely and Christian Craig are others to look out for. The 2013 season features 16-rounds in the USA, plus one visit to Canada. The series begins on the West Coast with events in California, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego. The action then heads to Texas, Atlanta and St Louis before the prestigious race at Daytona on March 9. Another famous motorsport city, Indianapolis, is next before the only non-US round in Toronto on March 23. Houston, Minneapolis, Seattle and Salt Lake City follow, prior to the traditional season finale at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on May 4.
January 5 Angel Stadium Anaheim, California January 12 Chase Field Phoenix January 19 Dodger Stadium Los Angeles January 26 O.Co Coliseum Oakland, California February 2 Angel Stadium Anaheim, California February 9 Qualcomm Stadium San Diego February 16 Cowboys Stadium Arlington, Texas February 23 Georgia Dome Atlanta March 2 Edward Jones Dome St. Louis March 9 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida March 16 Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis March 23 Rogers Centre Toronto April 6 Reliant Stadium Houston April 13 Metrodome Minneapolis April 20 CenturyLink Field Seattle April 27 Rice-Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City May 4 Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas
Honda World Motocross riders from Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev as well as Dunlop’s own Eddy Seel talk about the Dunlop MX11 front sand tyre.
Let’s Talk About MX
Business and sports go hand in hand; Sharon Antonaros and Eddy Seel explain how. Sharon Antonaros Dunlop Motorcycle Director EMEA Partner rather than Sponsor. Our approach to motocross when we returned was to forge quality partnerships rather than take a shotgun to supply anyone and everyone. This means we are regarded as more than just a supplier and we can work far closer with our partner teams. Part of this approach can be seen by our decision to have Eddy Seel as our MX race coordinator; Eddy is an experienced competitor who rode on highest level. He is someone who the teams can trust and look towards for advice. We based this on the model Dunlop use in the USA with Broc Glover, which has been a success. After two years it is clear that it was the right choice. We can trust Eddy, and I know the teams do too. He is the connecting link between the business and the sport and he puts out the right image we want to project.
Local fitment Our return to motocross brought about a complete rethink of how we would service our teams on event. Instead of taking a central fitting team to each event – as is the model in so many different motorsport disciplines – we focus instead on partnerships with local fitment teams that work closely with us representing us in the local championships. Using local fitment teams gives a closer link between our local markets and dealers, and the motocross event that is visiting their region. It ensures that the service the customer gets from the dealer is the same calibre as that which our professional motocross riders receive. It’s a new concept, and one which has been under Eddy’s critical eye for the past two years. It’s proven to be a success. Getting Dunlop on to new bikes – OE business The success in competition and the relationships forged with our partners means more of our tyres are fitted as Original Equipment. In 2013, we are standard fitment on the Honda 150, 250 and 450 and on the Kawasaki 250 thanks to our partnership with the two factory teams. Increased Sales Even in 2012’s tough environment, off-road sales went up and this success can be attributed to Dunlop’s showcase comeback to the World Championship.
Eddy Seel Dunlop MX Race Coordinator I always used Dunlop in my career so I have huge trust in their products and how they approach their motorsport. It was an honour to be asked to represent the brand in their return to the motocross world championship; my respect for Dunlop has grown the closer I’ve worked with them over the past two years. In 2011, we worked directly with one factory team with great success. We developed a very good relationship with Honda, taking fourth in the World Championship. For year two of the return, Kawasaki joined us, meaning two factory teams as a result. It was an interesting step: it is far easier if you have just one team as that is where your focus lies, but with two teams you have to ensure you are fair in your allocation of time and resource. We worked very closely with both teams this year, and our working relationships have been beneficial to all. On a human level with team managers, mechanics, the factory and especially the riders we have tremendous trust and this trust allows us to push developments. This year, we developed the new MX11 front tyre and this was just one step which allowed us to take third in the World Championship.
2013: Both Sharon and Eddy have one goal for next season: To get closer to the title. In 2011 Dunlop’s activities netted fourth in the championship. In 2012 it was third. So could it be second for 2013? To achieve this, the methodology for improvement is to get even closer to the teams and riders. This will be achieved through working on new products which will improve the results. Improved products and results will mean increased demand, and better sales. All add together to improve yet further the image of Dunlop in competition and in the marketplace. “Continuous improvement is the plan while enjoying our presence and of course working in this exciting sport,” echo both.
Honda World Motocross Riding SchooL Learn how to improve your mototcross riding skills thanks to Dunlop partner, the Honda world Motocross team and riders Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev.
Lesson 1: Riding Hillls
Lesson 2: Off Camber Turns
Lesson 3: Riding a Hardpack Track
Lesson 4: Sand riding
Dunlop looks to 2013 It’s an early start for Dunlop motorsport in 2013 as the season kicks off with its biggest event of the year, the Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours, in January. Every team of the bumper grid will use Dunlop tyres as teams race around the clock in searing heat. The 2012 event saw more 6000 tyres supplied to more than 70 cars with an eclectic mix of sportscars and touring cars doing battle at the Dubai Autodrome. On two wheels in the US the Dunlop brand will be making an early with the AMA Supercross which starts on January 5. As previewed elsewhere in this issue, AMA Supercross is the most glamorous off-road motorcycle series in the world. As the AMA Supercross enters the final third of its season, so the 2013 FIA World Motocross season starts on March 10 with a new event in Thailand. Dunlop’s goal for next year is to finish even higher than 2012; so that’s the tough target of second or even better… For Le Mans activities, for 2013 Dunlop Motorsport refocuses its activities to Europe and after four fantastic years where it has also raced in the American Le Mans Series. The catalyst for this has been a refocused European Le Mans Series calendar. In ELMS and the FIA World Endurance Championship, Dunlop will continue active development of the LMP1, LMP2 and GT tyres to build on their championship winning success from 2012. In the German VLN, Dunlop will also continue to develop tyres for partners such as AMG Customer Sports to suit the unique demands of the Nürburgring Nordschliefe. And, of course, Dunlop will continue with being the exclusive supplier to a number of championships around the world including the British Touring Car Championship, V8 Supercar Series, the International GT Open, 24 Hours races, the range of burgeoning Radical championships and many other one-make series.
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