Pirelli at the New Zealand Rally

The New Zealand Rally (the eighth round of this year's World Championship; July 13-16) has seen great success for Pirelli in recent years. Over the slippery surfaces of the Antipodean contest, where stages are often long and very fast, the role of the tyres is crucial. If we also take into account the changeable weather at this time of year, it is not impossible to encounter all four seasons on one single stage, then making the optimum tyre choice becomes complex.

The New Zealand Rally is the fifth gravel event of the season. Over the first three gravel rallies the Subaru-Pirelli of Richard Burns was unbeatable. Unfortunately, thanks to the incredibly rough Greek roads that caused technical problems to halt Burns and both SEAT-Pirelli entries, this success could not be added to on the Acropolis. However third place for Juha Kankkunen ensured that Subaru-Pirelli continues to lead the World Championship for manufacturers while Burns remains in the lead of the drivers' Championship.

New Zealand takes the World Championship its furthest distance from Europe but the series remains on the gravel surface that dictates the most technical challenge of the year. The gravel is nowhere near as tough as in Greece but it remains equally as difficult given the slippery nature of the surface and the unpredictable weather which will probably bring rain and make the roads muddy.

Pirelli will answer the challenge with its PZero range of gravel tyres in two tread patterns, the now established K and KM. Both are available in several evolution versions but with one technical aim; to utilise the softest compound possible (to guarantee the best traction) yet maintain a low tyre wear.

OBJECTIVE: LOW WEAR

Just two different patterns of tyres but with many evolution versions have been selected to comprise Pirelli's Pzero range of gravel tyres for New Zealand. This has been decided following recent tests to establish a tyre range that will perform well on smooth roads but which will also have high resistance to wear on an event that includes the longest stage of the World Championship. All will be fitted with the EMI anti-deflation system.
The regulations for 2000 demand that each team chooses just two tyre tread patterns but within those choices the number of compound options is free. Here, then, is Pirelli's New Zealand choice.

FOR SOFT AND SANDY SURFACES

KM (Size 205/65-15)

Type A tyre for soft, damp or sandy surfaces
Compound options Level 2, 4 and 6
Description This is expected to be the tyre used most during the rally with Level 4 the main choice. There are two extra evolution options for Level 4 and one extra evolution for Level 6.

FOR HARD GRAVEL OR LONG STAGES

K (Size 205/65-15)

Type A tyre for hard surfaces and long stages
Compound options Level 2, 4 and 6
Description As with the KM pattern, Level 4 will be the main choice for the event when this pattern is used. Again there are two extra evolutions for Level 4 and one for Level 6. All of the K-pattern tyres are likely to be hand cut for extra versatility.

NOTE: The higher the compound number, the softer the tyre.

13 OFFICIAL PIRELLI DRIVERS IN NEW ZEALAND!

2 Subaru Impreza WRC2000 Burns-Reid & Kankkunen-Repo
2 SEAT Cordoba WRC E2 Auriol-Giraudet & Gardemeister-Lukander
1 Subaru Impreza WRC99 Bourne
2 Subaru Impreza WRC Allstars Arai & Al Wahaibi
6 Mitsubishi Lancer Group N Stohl, Trelles, Pozzo, Mendez and Menzi
...plus other teams not regularly contesting the World Rally Championship.

OUR DRIVERS SAID...

RICHARD BURNS
We didn't get very far last year but on the few stages that I did I know that the tyres were very good. It should be even better this time because the evolution tyres we used in Britain and in Argentina are another big improvement. It isn't a tricky event unless it's very dry so I'm feeling pretty confident that I can maintain my championship lead.

JUHA KANKKUNEN
We should be very good in New Zealand. The new Subaru Impreza WRC2000 is very well balanced for that type of event and we know that the tyre choices will give us no problems whatever the weather. The thing with New Zealand is that the weather is usually quite mixed - I've never seen it completely dry! It won't matter to us...

DIDIER AURIOL
It's my first time in New Zealand with SEAT-Pirelli but I know we've got a very good tyre for the wet conditions that we can expect. The compound choice is very good and Pirelli has some new tyres that I haven't tried yet. I am confident about the tyres in any conditions but I'm always happier if the weather is only humid and not completely wet.

TONI GARDEMEISTER
It makes a change to go to a rally that I've been to before and I'm especially looking forward to this one because of my third place last year. I hope to get at least as good a result again. I like the event and I like the stages in New Zealand. Last year was very wet and that's the kind of weather I'd like again. The soft KM tyre is very good in those conditions.

SEVEN MORE ROUNDS TO...THE END OF THE WORLD

Monte Carlo 20-22 January Asphalt/snow/ice
Richard Burns (Subaru-Pirelli) was in second place and chasing a possible victory when his car failed to restart the second day. Juha Kankkunen (Subaru-Pirelli) finished third after setting a stunning fastest time on Sisteron while SEAT-Pirelli's young Finn Toni Gardemeister was acclaimed as a star of the rally in fourth.

Sweden 10-13 February Snow/ice/gravel
Burns claimed a few stage wins as well as being extremely competitive during the first leg and was looking to challenge the leader. Unfortunately the high speeds of the event did not allow the chasing drivers to significantly cut the leader's advantage. Subaru finished fifth and sixth while SEAT finished tenth.

Safari 24-27 February Gravel
No punctures for Subaru as Pirelli dominated the event from start to finish. Burns won from Kankkunen while Didier Auriol was third for SEAT-Pirelli. Pirelli enjoyed absolute domination in Group N. In a hard event from a technical point of view the durability of the PZero range was the key to Pirelli's success.

Portugal 16-19 March Gravel
The debut of the Subaru Impreza WRC2000 saw Burns take immediate command, lose the lead with hydraulic problems, regain it and then lose it once more before finally taking a winning lead on the final day. Kankkunen crashed out while SEAT-Pirelli finished ninth and 10th to confirm the performance of PZero gravel tyres.

Catalunya 30 March-2 April Asphalt
The Subaru Impreza WRC2000 proves impressively quick on asphalt. In a wet first leg, Burns takes command thanks to the N-pattern tyre before battling for the lead with the Ford of McRae who eventually takes a narrow win over Burns. Burns, however, consolidates his and Subaru-Pirelli's lead in the World Championship.

Argentina 11-14 May Gravel
Home again on gravel and the Subaru-Pirelli team was unbeatable. Richard Burns gave a driving lesson after overcoming an early overheating problem with the Subaru Impreza WRC2000, taking command and holding it to the finish. Once again Group N, with Mitsubishi, was wholly Pirelli's domain.

Acropolis 8-11 June Gravel
A difficult gravel contest with the Subarus and SEATs giving their Pirelli tyres a hard test thanks to the extremely rough Greek roads. Group N was again the sole domain of Pirelli. Unfortunately Burns did not make the finish but third place for Juha Kankkunen's Impreza WRC2000 ensured a good points score.

New Zealand 13-16 July Gravel

Finland 17-20 August Gravel

Cyprus 7-10 September Gravel

Corsica 28 September-1 October Asphalt

San Remo 19-22 October Asphalt

Australia 9-12 November Gravel

Great Britain 22-26 November Gravel




Milan, 10 July 2000