19
January
2016
|
12:45
Europe/Amsterdam

Kubica returns to WRC action with Pirelli as 2016 season begins

Robert Kubica

Pirelli tyres will be used around the globe by competitors in the World Rally Championship during the 2016 season, beginning in the challenging conditions posed by the famous Rallye Monte-Carlo. Among the drivers relying on Pirelli will be Robert Kubica, the grand prix winner continuing his relationship with the Italian company as he enters his fourth year competing in the WRC, and looking to build upon the four stages he won on last year’s event. Tyres play a crucial part in Rallye Monte-Carlo, which runs from January 21-24, with weather conditions varying and difficult to predict. The asphalt roads can be wet or covered in snow or ice, and so large amounts of time can be gained or lost on tyre choice and performance. The 2016 edition will be run over 16 stages across four days, taking in 377.59 kilometres of competitive mileage. The event will commence at the Place du Casino in Monaco prior to two stages on Thursday evening before two loops of three stages on Friday. Saturday will begin with two tests repeated including the rally’s longest, the 51.55km Lardier et Valenca – Faye, before moving on to Sisteron – Thoard. The rally concludes on Sunday with a stage that features the iconic Col de Turini plus two runs of Col de L’Orme – St Laurent, the latter as the power stage finale. Leading Pirelli drivers on Rallye Monte-Carlo On Rallye Monte-Carlo, Robert Kubica will be joined by Italian privateers Lorenzo Bertelli and Felice Re in driving in World Rally Cars fitted with Pirelli tyres. Bertelli enters his second season in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC while Re steps up to a Citroen DS3 WRC after contesting Rallye Monte-Carlo in an R5 version of the car last year. Pirelli will also supply 10 crews in the WRC2 class, across four different car manufacturers, and there will be two Peugeot 208s in the WRC3 class, for Fabio Andolfi and Damiano de Tommaso, supported by Pirelli and ACI: the Italian motorsport governing body. The tyres Pirelli will provide two versions of its RK asphalt tyre on Rallye Monte-Carlo, the RKS soft compound and RKSS supersoft compound. Its Sottozero snow tyres will also be available for when the conditions get tougher, either with or without studs. The rules World Rally Car crews can use up to 39 tyres from their allocation for the event. For Rallye-Monte Carlo, tyre companies can provide a supersoft compound for cold and frosty conditions, while snow tyres with and without studs can also be made available. Quotes Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager: “Because of the conditions on Rallye Monte-Carlo, tyre choices and the quality of tyres are critical to the outcome. The main difference this year compared to last year is that there isn’t a hard compound available, as the result of a rule change that was only announced very recently. We have worked on developing the new soft to have a wider usage range, so this year it’s a multi-purpose tyre and should work in both dry or mixed conditions with temperatures above five degrees, while the supersoft goes very well from -5 to +5 degrees centigrade. It seems as if the weather conditions will be mixed, including dry, damp and snow, so we will need to use all types of tyre.”

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For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com