Pirelli Scorpion: decisive in the Rally of Great Britain

The last WRC race heads for the gravel roads across the Channel.  Pirelli will partner drivers and teams with Scorpion tyres developed to guarantee high performance and maximum safety over the most insidious terrains

Cardiff, October 22, 2009 – Pirelli places its trust in Scorpion tyres for the Rally of Great Britain, the last stage of the WRC, now having reached its 65th British edition. The rally takes place on the gravel roads around Cardiff, but at a different time of year from usual. This means that instead of the normal heavy rainfall, uneven roads, slippery land, mud and insidious special stages during the Rally GB, this year we may enjoy a dry rally in milder weather conditions. Pirelli will use soft compound Scorpion tyres as part of the key elements in the race to final victory. The materials chosen by Scorpion for development and use in the World Rally are absolutely innovative in terms of resistance, with 'run flat' technological solutions that not only reduce the risk of puncture to a minimum, but also allow for special stage completion without excessive delays and without damaging the car’s mechanics and bodywork. The strengthened sidewalls resist cuts and abrasions, whilst the deeper grooves guarantee greater tyre endurance, and the angle of the oblique grooves increases the progressivity during cornering. The Pirelli Scorpion looks set to be decisive in the fight for WRC world champion title, which currently sees Hirvonen (Ford) and Loeb (Citroen) in lead position, just one point apart, after eleven rallies disputed thus far. The Manufacturers and World Production title have, instead, already been assigned respectively to Citroen, one race ahead of time at the Spanish Rally, and to Armindo Araujo, who raced on board a Ralliart Italy team Mitsubishi Lancer.  The Rally GB will also be the last race of the 2009 Pirelli Star Driver programme. Mario Isola, Pirelli Rally Manager, said: "I have every confidence in the handling, performance and wear level of Scorpion ‘Soft’ tyres, although, very probably, we will be racing in very different conditions to those of past years. If it is true that the Welsh roads are rather abrasive, and the temperatures forecast significantly higher than those of previous editions, it is also true that the Pirelli Scorpion ‘Soft’ have been tested both by our engineers and by the teams, in both summer and severe conditions, always showing excellent resistance to wear and high performance levels”.