The weekend’s races

At the wheel of the Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Thiim set the benchmark in both races of the Nuremberg event.

Starting from pole position in Saturday afternoon’s race, he led all 63 laps and crossed the finish line just 0.587 seconds ahead of Engel in the Mercedes-AMG. Arjun Maini finished third, securing Ford’s first podium of the season. The race was suspended for around an hour on lap 34 following an accident at the first corner involving Kelvin van der Linde and Maximilian Paul, which made repairs to the barriers necessary.

Race 2, held on Sunday afternoon, began behind the safety car and was suspended within the opening minutes following an accident that forced Matteo Cairoli’s Ferrari to retire. During the stoppage, the cars switched to Cinturato wet tyres after a rain shower had begun to dampen the track in the opening laps. However, when the sun returned, the circuit dried rapidly, forcing the drivers to switch back to slick tyres as early as lap 22. Thiim also managed the decisive phase of the race to perfection, claiming his second victory of the weekend and completing a flawless weekend for himself and a historic one for Aston Martin. Behind Thiim, Finn Wiebelhaus finished 0.887 seconds adrift in the Ford, while Lucas Auer took third place in the Mercedes-AMG.

Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager:

“The Norisring races once again proved to be demanding and spectacular, delivering surprises this year as well. As expected, the high-speed braking zones, uneven road surface and restarts placed our P Zero tyres under considerable stress, but they proved reliable throughout the weekend. In the end, victory went to the driver who was able to find the correct operating window immediately and maintain stability and traction throughout the race, as Thiim had done since free practice.”

Pirelli tyres for the DTM

The Norisring was the fourth round of the season for the new P Zero tyres developed specifically for the DTM, with characteristics designed to guarantee performance, reliability and adaptability across the different circuits and the series’ race format.

The dedicated range, also recognisable by its specific graphics and design, is produced at the Pirelli Technology Hub in Breuberg, using processes and materials optimised to ensure consistent performance and support the Balance of Performance system. The tyres are also equipped with RFID technology, allowing the tracking required under the 2026 DTM regulations and contributing to sporting and technical management at the circuit.

The challenge
The anti-clockwise layout, narrow carriageways, very close barriers and road surface normally open to traffic make the track one of the most intense and difficult events of the season. Here, it is not only pure speed that counts: precision, braking stability and the ability to put the traction down very early on exit from slow corners are required. The cars arrive at the main braking zones at over 250 kph and have to slow to around 60 kph, with bumps and surface irregularities further increasing the difficulty for drivers, cars and tyres.

The weekend comes at a very tight stage of the championship. Matteo Cairoli, driving the Emil Frey Racing Ferrari, arrives at the Norisring as championship leader after taking his second win of the season at the Dekra Lausitzring. His advantage, however, is minimal: Maro Engel and Lucas Auer, both in Mercedes-AMG cars, are just one point behind him. For Cairoli, the Norisring is almost new territory: the Italian driver has raced there only once, eleven years ago.

Among the other expected front-runners is Thomas Preining, already a three-time winner on the Nuremberg circuit and fresh from victory at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps together with team-mates Ricardo Feller and Bastian Buus.

Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager:
“The Norisring is one of the most distinctive circuits on the DTM calendar. It has only four corners, but that does not make it simple: on the contrary, it concentrates all the stresses into a few very severe points. High-speed braking, the irregular road surface and slow exits put the tyres under stress in a different way compared with longer and more complete circuits. Every variation in temperature, pressure and grip can have a direct impact on performance. The proximity of the walls reduces the margin for error to a minimum and makes the predictability of the car’s behaviour lap after lap even more important. It will be essential to find the correct operating window quickly and to maintain stability and traction throughout the race. With the standings so close, tyre management will be a decisive factor.”

Pirelli tyres at the Norisring
From this year, Pirelli is supplying the DTM with an evolution of the P ZERO tyres developed specifically for the championship, with characteristics designed to guarantee performance, reliability and adaptability to the different tracks and to the series’ race format. The dedicated line, also recognisable by its specific graphics and design, is produced at the Pirelli Technology Hub in Breuberg, Hesse, using optimised processes and materials to ensure consistent performance and support the Balance of Performance system. The tyres are also equipped with RFID technology, which enables the tracking required by the 2026 DTM regulations and contributes to sporting and technical management on track.

Both factors place the tyres under particular stress. The tyres are among the components subjected to the greatest loads, both under traction and braking and when cornering, due to the high vertical and lateral forces generated by the high-speed corners and by the banking at Turn 3 and Turn 14, with inclinations of up to 19 and 18 degrees respectively. At these points, the gradient produces different effects on vertical and lateral load, with direct consequences for the tyres and for the overall performance of the cars, which therefore require a dedicated set-up.

More specifically, the steep banking reduces lateral load and allows higher cornering speeds, while at the same time significantly increasing the vertical load on the tyres, placing the construction under stress even at the same speed and aerodynamic load.

In addition, the Zandvoort circuit presents variable grip conditions because of the presence of sand and salt on the asphalt. This calls for flexible car set-ups, able to adapt quickly to changes in the track surface and consistently generate the highest possible level of grip.

“From the first event at the end of April it was already clear that this will be a very closely fought season,” commented Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities Manager. “Because of its characteristics, Zandvoort could begin to provide the first indications of the pecking order among teams and drivers, all of whom are highly competitive and professional. Here more than ever, an accurate tyre strategy will be decisive, also in light of the new regulations governing tyre use. It is no exaggeration to say that, for many cars, the outcome of the two weekend races will already start to take shape during free practice.”

From this year, Pirelli is supplying DTM drivers with an evolution of the P ZERO tyre range developed exclusively for the championship. The product combines performance, reliability and adaptability across a wide variety of track and usage conditions, meeting the specific requirements of the DTM’s particular race format. The championship-dedicated range is also distinguished by its graphics and design.

Production of the P Zero DTM range takes place at the Pirelli Technology Hub in Breuberg, Hesse. Advanced methods are used there across the entire value chain, including optimised processes for managing semi-finished and finished products. Specific material solutions and an optimised production process design help to ensure consistent performance and provide a solid basis for the Balance of Performance, or BoP, system. The tyre is also equipped with RFID technology, which enables precise tracking in accordance with the 2026 DTM regulations. This supports tyre management at the circuit while also creating a reliable basis for sporting fairness.

Both races kept the Red Bull Ring crowd on the edge of their seats. Saturday's race was won by Thomas Preining's Porsche from the Manthey team, having qualified third in a very tight qualifying session that saw lap times better than the 2023 track record and 11 drivers within less than a second. Behind the Manthey driver came Luca Auer in the Landgraf team's Mercedes-AMG, and Maro Engel in the Ravenol team's Mercedes-AMG.

Sunday's race was won by Engel, who started fifth on the grid, followed by Marco Wittmann in the Schubert team's BMW, who started as far back as ninth, and Auer.

"We are very satisfied with the performance of the new P Zero tyres for the DTM," said Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager at Pirelli. "It was not a given that already at the first race the drivers would be able to get the best out of the tyres, exploiting the performance optimised for this race format. We saw many different tyre strategies, which was one of the objectives set for us by the teams and the promoter during product development. Furthermore, the faster warm-up minimised the impact of pit stops, allowing drivers to defend their position more easily after the stop. There will certainly still be a great deal for everyone to learn: first and foremost on our side, as we gathered interesting data over the weekend, but also on the drivers' side, who will need to optimise the management of the mix between new and used tyres over the course of each event and throughout the seasonal carry-over."

Spectators also enjoyed the challenges in the other categories of which Pirelli is a partner: GT Masters, GT4 Germany and the FIA Formula Regional championship, which kicked off its season and its first event with the new generation of cars fitted with 15-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres – also, like those for the DTM, developed bespoke and exclusively for the championship.

Manufactured at the Breuberg Technology Hub in Germany

FSC™-certified natural rubber and RFID technology for tracking

The DTM kicks off the 2026 season, with fans set to enjoy eight thrilling race weekends in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. The season opener takes place on 24 April at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Pirelli will be unveiling its new tyres there, developed exclusively for the racing series. The product combines performance, reliability and adaptability across a wide variety of track and operating conditions, thereby meeting the specific requirements of the racing format.

The DTM tyre is a standalone product in terms of both design and manufacture. New, specially developed graphics and sidewalls emphasise its distinctive appearance.

Production takes place at the Pirelli Technology Hub in Breuberg (Hesse). Leveraging on the know-how developed by Pirelli Motorsport across all its production sites, advanced methods are applied throughout the entire value chain, including optimised processes for handling both semi-finished and finished products. Specific material solutions and an optimised manufacturing process help ensure consistent performance. This further reinforces the role of the Breuberg Tech Hub as a key centre of innovation, with its technological importance in the production of high-performance road tyres set to grow even further as the new manufacturing process comes on stream.

The tyre is also equipped with RFID technology, which enables precise tracking in respect of the 2026 DTM regulations. This supports tyre management at the racetrack whilst also creating a reliable foundation for sporting equity.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager at Pirelli:
“The DTM places particularly high demands on tyres due to its competitive intensity, sprint formats and the variety of circuits. We are very proud to present an exclusive tyre for this internationally renowned racing series, which is precisely tailored to its conditions. It offers consistent performance, high versatility and a stable basis for fair competition. At the same time, we are bringing technologies and materials to the track that underline Pirelli’s high technical standards in motorsport. Every race will be a milestone in our learning process and a new challenge for our technologies always pushing us to do better and find new innovative solutions.”

Thomas Voss, ADAC Motorsport Director
“The DTM is the GT and touring car series with the highest power density in the world and places particular demands on the tyres. Pirelli’s new exclusive tyre enables close competition at the highest level and is a decisive step in the series’ further development”.

The DTM tyre carries the FSC™^[1] logo. This indicates that all the natural rubber used in the tyres^[2] comes from plantations that are managed to help safeguard biodiversity, as well as benefiting the people who live and work in these areas. This stringent FSC™ certification process ensures that all certified material is kept separate from that which is not certified throughout the supply chain from the plantation to the tyre manufacturer.

With the new DTM tyre, Pirelli is consistently building on the partnership with the series that has existed since 2023 and underlines the role of motorsport as a platform for technological innovation and solutions.

[1] Pirelli tyres (FSC™ N003618) are FSC™-certified as MIX Natural Rubber. This shows that they are manufactured from a combination of natural and synthetic rubber, conforming with FSC™ ADVICE-40-004-15. For more information, please visit www.fsc.org

[2] The equivalent of 17 percent of the total weight of the tyre

Races 3 and 4 of the season will take place on a track known for being tough and fast, much loved by the drivers because of the technical challenges it throws up and the passing opportunities if offers at the turn 1 hairpin and the quick final sector. The 3.478 kilometre layout runs anticlockwise and features 12 corners, of which five are right handers. In 2024, Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2) won race 1, and Thomas Preining (Manthey EMA, Porsche 911 GT3 R) was the winner of race 2. Fancied to lead the field this year is current championship leader and winner of this year’s opening two races, Jordan Pepper (TGI Team Lamborghini by GRT) as well as Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG GT3) and Porsche driver Ayhancan Güven. Also a contender is reigning champion Mirko Bortolotti (Abt Sportsline), who, in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, was quickest in testing at the Lausitzring.

“As usual in the DTM, everything is in place for a great show,” commented Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager Pirelli. “For this second round, the drivers will be able to fine tune the possible strategies thrown up by the obligation to change tyres twice on Sunday. Lausitzring can be categorised as medium in terms of the demands it puts on the tyres, so careful tyre management over the weekend can prove decisive. As usual, one should keep an eye on the weather which can be changeable and throw up some surprises.”

Drivers will be availing themselves of the new slick P Zero DHG Pirelli and, in case of rain, the Cinturato WHB Pirelli. The main innovation of the new P Zero DHG for cars in all the GT championships where Pirelli is present, concern the materials used, which give greater consistency in terms of car balance over long distances.

Race 2 victory went to Ayhancan Güven, driving the Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R 992. It marked the Turkish driver's first-ever DTM win. Joining him on the podium were Jules Gounon, who started from pole in his Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter, and Güven’s teammate, Thomas Preining.

Saturday’s race was dominated by Lucas Auer in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf. Starting from pole, Auer led from lights to flag to claim his tenth DTM career win. Tyre management proved crucial, not only securing Auer's victory but also helping Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Winward Racing) climb to third thanks to a delayed pit stop strategy, overtaking Thomas Preining, who finished fourth. Between the two Mercedes drivers, Jordan Pepper took second place at the wheel of a Lamborghini for the TGI Team.

"The first event of the 2025 DTM season lived up to expectations," said Matteo Braga, Pirelli’s Circuit Activity Manager. “We saw intense battles and great on-track action, with an enthusiastic crowd filling the grandstands and paddock. From a technical standpoint, the impact of Sunday’s second mandatory pit stop still needs to be fully assessed, but overall, the goal of increasing race dynamics and entertainment was clearly achieved. We are also very pleased with the DTM debut of the new P Zero DHG tyre, which from this year becomes the reference tyre for all major GT competitions.”

In GT4 Germany, a support series also supplied by Pirelli, it was a double victory for the SR Motorsport Racing team, whose Mercedes-AMG GT4 claimed wins in both Race 1 and Race 2, driven by Enrico Förderer and Jai Härtling respectively.

Forecasts predict sunny skies throughout the weekend, likely limiting teams to Pirelli’s new P Zero DHG slick tyres, making their competitive debut in both DTM and the supporting ADAC GT4 Germany series (also supplied by Pirelli).

"DTM has consistently delivered adrenaline-packed weekends that fans love," said Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager. “I expect intense battles right from this opening round. Alongside our tyres—which teams praised during testing—drivers will face another new challenge: mandatory double pit stops. I’m eager to see how strategies unfold and how they’ll manage tyre wear.”

The P Zero DHG, designed for GT cars across Pirelli-supported championships, features advanced materials for improved consistency in long-distance performance. 
This season, Pirelli’s GT tyres (both dry and wet) will bear the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC™)¹ logo, certifying that all natural rubber used for the tyres² is sourced from responsibly managed plantations that preserve biodiversity and support local communities. 

^{1 Pirelli tyres (FSC™N003618) are FSC™-certified as MIX Natural Rubber. This shows that they are manufactured from a combination of natural and synthetic rubber, conforming with FSC™ ADVICE-40-004-15.
2 the equivalent of 17 percent of the total weight of the tyre}
 

Aston Martin, running Pirelli P Zero DHF tyres has won the one hundredth edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The Comtoyou Racing Vantage AMR GT3 Evo #7 crewed by Italy’s Mattia Drudi and the Danish pair of Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen took a win at the end of what was a very unpredictable 24 Hours of Spa both because of the weather and the on track action.

In fact, 45 minutes prior to the chequered flag Alessandro Pier Guidi  and the AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari 296 appeared to have the race win in its grasp but coming in for its final pit stop, the #51 car, Pier Guidi shared with Davide Rigon and Alessio Rovera found itself stuck at the entry to pit lane, behind a Lamborghini that had broken down and so it was overtaken by its rivals.

Having fitted new DHF tyres the Ferrari, which had dropped to fifth place, was able to get back up to second in the hands of Pier Guidi, but he could not catch Drudi in the Vantage, who managing the final laps carefully, ensured his team made it to the top step of the podium.

Third overall was the BMW M4 GT3 #32 entered by Team WRT crewed by Dries Vanthoort (with team-mates Sheldon Van Der Linde and Charles Weerts) thanks to pitting ahead of its closest rivals.

As in previous races, the tyres clearly played a major role in the outcome of this endurance race. All the cars made ample use, not just of the Pirelli P Zero DHF on a dry track, but also the Cinturato WHA in the wet.

The sunshine and high temperatures experienced in free practice, qualifying and the early afternoon on Saturday did in fact make way for the first rain shower, which was first spotted at Les Combes as from the third hour, leaving some sections of the track wet. In the early stages, the teams ran different strategies, some choosing to stay on P Zero DHF, others switching to the Cinturato WHA, some switching back after listening to the drivers’ comments. Then, once night fell, the rain tyre was definitely the one to use. The rain increased in intensity overnight from Saturday to Sunday, with a long Safety Car period because of poor visibility. It was right in the middle of the night that the Pirelli fitting area was at its busiest due to the high demand for wet tyres. There were 12 lines of fitting machines in use, monitored by a proprietary computer system, aimed at reducing waiting time for the teams and optimising the work flow.

This one hundredth edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is also the last in which the Cinturato WHA will be used. As from 2025, all the cars in the championship will run the updated WHB version, currently used in DTM and ADAC GT Masters, with a new design and greater tread rigidity, which further increases its operating window when conditions are crossing over from wet to dry.

A further unknown this weekend was the fact that the entire track, with the exception of the main straight and Eau Rouge, had been resurfaced, provided improved grip from the tyres, leading to an increase in car performance, especially through the corners. Proof of this can be seen from the fact that Franck Perera took pole position at the wheel of his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo 2 (GRT Grasser Racing Team) with a time of 2’13’’718, set on the Pirelli P Zero DHF, quicker than the outright lap record for the 24 Hours set in 2008 by Pedro Lamy who took a GT1 Saleen round in 2’13”923. Perera’s time was over three seconds quicker than the Superpole time in last year’s 24 Hours.

The ratio of Pirelli personnel to the cars at Spa-Francorchamps running the P Zero tyres was almost one to one. Apart from the 66 starters in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the Italian company also supplied 19 cars in the Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli, the 57 in the GT4 European Series Powered by Rafa Racing Club and 13 McLaren Artura and 570S in the English marque’s one-make series. That meant 153 Pirelli personnel present during the event, including technical staff and others, looking after 155 cars.

Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager di Pirelli:
“Congratulations to the Comtoyou Racing team for this win in the one hundredth edition of the 24 Hours of Spa and also to AF Corse who managed to recover from some unexpected bad luck which cost them the win. The top ten places featured seven different marques, separated by very small gaps considering how long this race is. Once again, this classic Belgian endurance race proved to be one of the most closely contested and unpredictable events in all of motor racing. Our tyres delivered maximum performance for all nine car manufacturers entered, proving to be consistent, ensuring total reliability, even though lap times were much quicker because of the new track surface, all of this in very changeable weather. The Cinturato WHA was equally effective in the transition from dry to wet, giving the drivers the confidence to push even in difficult track conditions.”

Next up for the Fanatec GT European Series it’s Hockenheim for round 5, the Sprint Cup from 19 to 21 July. On the first weekend in July Pirelli’s European team which follows closed wheel racing will be working on several fronts, all as sole tyre supplier. At Portimao, it will be time to support the Ferrari Challenge Europe and then the activity switches to the Norisring for the ADAC GT4 and the DTM and to Suzuka for the Fanatec GT World Championship Asia powered by AWS.

Pirelli is the sole tyre supplier for this 100^th edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The endurance race taking place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 June is held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, widely regarded as one of the ultimate tests of man and machine. It is one of the biggest events in the world to have a single tyre supplier and this represents an unparalleled logistical and manpower effort from Pirelli.

Apart from the 67 cars entered in the Belgian round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS and International GT Challenge, the Italian company is also supplying all the cars in the support categories, namely Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli, GT4 European Series Powered by Rafa Racing Club and McLaren Trophy Europe, along with some of the historic cars in the two revival series, Endurance Racing Legend and Heritage Touring Cup.

The incredible number of cars taking part this weekend has no equal in any other car racing series in which Pirelli has long been involved and over 150 Pirelli personnel are on duty – technical, commercial and marketing - coming from headquarters from three different continents. They make up an experienced team, along with a few trainees and for the past ten years, they have been a vital cog in the machine of the SRO-branded 24 Hours of Spa.

All the GT3 cars entered in the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa, representing nine different car makers and split into five classes, depending on the level of experience of the crews, will use P Zero DHF tyres on a dry track and Cinturato WHA if it is wet. The most numerous are the Mercedes-AMG of which there are 14, followed by 12 Porsche 911, while there will be seven BMW M4 looking to defend their 2023 title. The rest of the grid is made up of Aston Martin Vantage AMR, Ford Mustang, Ferrari 296, Lamborghini Huracan, McLaren 720S and Audi R8 LMS.

Every car can use a maximum of 30 sets of dry weather tyre for the whole race weekend. For qualifying, each driver can use just one set of tyres per session specifically allocated to them. Cars that make it to the Superpole get an extra set which they must return at the end of the session. There is no limit to the number of sets of rain tyres that can be used over the weekend. Teams are free to decide when to use them, once the track is declared wet. Tyre heaters can be used.

The nerve centre of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is the Pirelli tyre fitting area, in the middle of the paddock. There are 12 lines of fitting machines and every stage of the fitting process is monitored in real time. It starts with a request from the teams, entered on a touch screen on an order kiosk. Then a proprietary IT system sorts the tyres onto the different assembly lines based on their availability and workload. Back in the pits, teams can follow the different fitting stages and can see when their sets are ready for collection. This means mechanics can get on with their work in the garages, reducing waiting times at the Pirelli area and optimising team resources.

Matteo Braga, Pirelli Motorsport Circuit Activity Manager:
“Endurance races are usually won or lost on car reliability and the ability of the entire car-tyre package to perform consistently and the 24 Hours of Spa is no exception to that rule. Recent past races show that the podium places are up for grabs right to the final part of the race: last year, the top three finished within about ten seconds or so of one another. In these situations, the tyres must deliver strong performance over an entire stint but also produce performance peaks when required. That’s a tough task on the Spa-Francorchamps track with its long straights and fast corners that put considerable forces through the tyres. Furthermore, the circuit’s location in the Ardennes forest is known for its unpredictable weather. It’s not uncommon to have very hot conditions followed by heavy rain and a significant drop in temperature. The teams must therefore work out how to deal with a wide range of conditions, while keeping the tyres in their operating window, even when the track is wet or drying, or during the tough night time conditions. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one that can make the difference during the race.”

This year there is a further unknown factor in that a large part of the track has been resurfaced. There’s a long stretch from the Blanchimont corner, through the Bus Stop chicane, ending at La Source, while the Kemmel straight and the corners at Les Combes, Rivage and Stavelot have also been resurfaced. The drivers will therefore face different track conditions to those they have encountered over the previous three years and that could affect car performance, producing faster lap times. Therefore, gathering data during the test sessions over the coming days will be vital.

At 16:30 on Saturday, Endurance racing legend, Jacky Ickx will wave the Belgian flag to start the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. Before that there are four qualifying sessions and night time free practice on Thursday, starting at 20:35. The Superpole is on Friday at 15:45 and the warm-up starts at 20:10. The event is the third and penultimate round of the International GT Challenge and the fourth round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, series for which Pirelli is the sole tyre supplier.

Photo credit: SRO/JEP

The DTM gets into full swing with round four at the Norisring, the famous Nuremberg street circuit also known as the German Monte Carlo. Unlike the Monegasque track, which is sinuous, the German one, 2.2 kilometres long, is basically made up of two straights between two bends. It is the Grundig hairpin bend and the Dutzendteich hairpin bend that impose significant decelerations with stress on the braking system and tyres. Between the two corners there is the Schöller chicane with a quick right-left on the narrow.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: "One of the most interesting aspects of the DTM is the extreme variety of challenges that event after event are proposed to teams and drivers. After the dunes of Zandvoort there is the Nuremberg street circuit where it is easy to create "traffic" on the track.  Although it holds no secrets for the drivers, the Norisring should never be underestimated in the management of tyres that are subject to braking and restarting. Crucial will be the qualifying times and the resulting starting order as well as the timing of the mandatory tyre change.  The evolution of the track should not be underestimated. The asphalt, which has little grip at the beginning of the event, is getting rubberized during the various sessions, increasing grip. In addition, cars run close to walls so it is easy to damage the wheels. At the moment there is no rain forecast, which when it falls makes life a bit difficult for everyone. I am sure we will witness an interesting race: the battle for the title is wide open and a clear leader of the season is still missing". 

P ZERO DHF AND CINTURATO WHB
As in all races with GT cars in which Pirelli is involved, the tyres available to the drivers are the P Zero DHF and the Cinturato WHB. The DHF, developed to meet the specific needs of all GT classes, has a wide working range and an innovative construction that optimises the car's balance with a better connection between the front and rear axles. The new Cinturato WHBs, which just this season made their first appearance, are the wet-weather tyres designed to maintain the performance and reliability characteristics of the DHF even in wet conditions. In particular, the evolution of the Cinturato features a new tread pattern that has allowed the use of the latest generation of materials which, together with the increased tread rigidity, have improved the footprint on the ground.  Compared to the previous generation, grip and warm-up have been optimised, leaving stability unaltered in wet-to-dry transition conditions and sensitivity to aquaplan.

Zandvoort hosted the first of two rounds of the DTM to be held outside Germany in 2024 as the series reaches the height of its season. The outcome confirmed the trend which emerged at the previous two rounds with no team dominant and a tight championship table for both drivers and teams. The Dutch track is demanding for cars and tyres because of the banking at some corners, as well as the sand covering the track surface. Shining in these difficult conditions were Jack Aitken at the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GT3, who won Saturday’s race to record his second win of the season and Marco Wittmann driving a BMW M4 GT3, victorious on Sunday.

Nothing much happened in race 1, with Aitken leading from start to finish, gradually pulling away from his pursuers who changed places behind him, except in the closing laps. Best of the rest was Renè Rast in a BMW who went from seventh on the grid to second, followed by the Mercedes of Arjun Maini. In race 2, Wittmann produced an impressive comeback from 14^th on the grid to be first past the flag, with Mirko Bortolotti starting from second and finishing in that position, having led for a third of the race. Rounding off the podium trio was Kelvin Van der Linden, who also charged up the order in his Audi.

Worth noting are the excellent times set in the two qualifying sessions, with most drivers generally quicker than last year at the Dutch track. Quickest over the weekend was Aitken who, in Q1, was the only driver to break the 1 minute 32 seconds barrier, stopping the clocks in 1.31.762, almost a second quicker than last year’s best qualifying time set by Maro Engel (Mercedes). In Q2, poleman Maximillian Paul recorded a 1.32.780 in his Lamborghini, over two tenths quicker than Ricardo Feller’s time from last year in the Audi.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: "The Zandvoort round not only confirmed how spectacular the DTM can be, but also how closely matched are the teams and drivers, because after six races, no dominant leader has yet emerged. It proves that this series is highly competitive and that all the competitors are fully committed, while working calmly so that teams and drivers can focus on performance. I would say that we are making an important contribution with our tyres that are versatile and well suited to these cars, which ensures performance and reliability at the highest level, even on very demanding tracks like Zandvoort.”

In Zandvoort, Pirelli was also the partner of the two main support categories this weekend, the ADAC GT Masters and FRECA (Formula Regional European Championship) which saw Tuukka Taponen (R-ACE GP) win a rain-affected race 1 and Rafael Camara (Prema Racing) victorious in race 2.

The DTM heads for Zandvoort for the third round of the 2024 season, which has seen four different winners from the four races to date at Oschersleben and Lausitz. The Dutch track is notoriously one of the most, if not the most, demanding of the whole Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series, because of its unusual configuration and its location among the dunes on the North Sea coast.

Tyres are one of the components that come in for the hardest time at Zandvoort, both under traction and when cornering. In fact, the tyres are subjected to high vertical and lateral loads, because of the high speed corners and the banking at turns 3 and 14, with an angle of 19 and 18 degrees respectively. At these points, the gradient produces the opposite effect on vertical and lateral downforce which has an impact on the tyres and on the overall performance of the cars, which therefore requires a specific set-up.

In effect, the steep banking lightens the lateral load, with a subsequent increase in cornering speeds, but at the same time, the vertical load on the tyres is increased significantly, putting their construction under stress, even at the same speed and aerodynamic load.

Furthermore, the Zandvoort track offers variable levels of grip because of the large quantity of sand and sea salt that accumulates on the surface. These conditions call for a flexible car set-up to allow for rapid adjustment to changes in the track surface, while always generating the best grip possible.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: “Our advice in cases like this is to always pay careful attention to the operating pressures, both at the start and after the obligatory pit stop. Using the tyres in the correct operating window is vital to make the most of their characteristics, in the warm-up phase as well when racing so as to achieve the best balance between performance, degradation and warm-up times. Actually, we already saw last year that the versatility of the P Zero DHF ensured performance and reliability even on such a demanding track as this, where one always witnesses interesting and spectacular racing.”

An improved footprint, thanks to optimised grip and warm-up

Braga: “Racing is always exciting and demanding at the Marco Simoncelli track with tyres subjected to high stress”

The GT World Challenge Europe is back in Italy to celebrate its third round of the season at Misano, one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the whole GT calendar. Pirelli has brought along the new wet weather Cinturato WHB tyre which, having made its very first appearance at the Oshersleben round of the DTM at the end of April, is now making its debut on the GT2 cars competing in GTWC, before also being available for a 24 Hour race for the first time, at the Nurburgring at the end of May.

Obviously, the tyre will only make its debut if it rains, which for the moment is unlikely and that leaves the stage free for the P Zero DHF dry tyre, which will face a challenging test at the Misano track. The Marco Simoncelli circuit is 4.226 kilometres in length and runs anticlockwise. It boasts 16 corners, six of them left handers, and is one of the most challenging of the season, because of its twisty nature and the high temperatures that can be expected.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager: “We are always happy to come to Misano, because of the enthusiastic crowd and the fact that the racing is always close and exciting. It will be a good test for the tyres, yet again the DHF which to date has proved to be the most appropriate technological solution for the Gran Turismo cars, coping well with the BoP developed by SRO. Several sections of the track require heavy deceleration, which puts the tyres under a lot of stress. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable at certain corners where drivers want to maintain the highest possible corner speed through a series of braking points and accelerations which create significant load transfer between the rear and front axles. Let’s wait and see if the WHB will be required on the GT2 cars, a class that is evolving rapidly and is worth keeping an eye on for interesting developments in which it could play a part.”

PIRELLI TYRES AT MISANO
The P Zero DHF, which underwent its latest evolution last year, has been developed to meet the specific needs of all GT classes on a dry track. Among this tyre’s main characteristics are a wide working range and a construction that optimises car balance through a better connection between front and rear.

The DHF also offers greater sustainability characteristics than its predecessor. Right from the development stage, the DHF’s environmental impact was reduced through extensive use of virtual modelling replacing physical prototypes, which were thus reduced by almost 20%. The P Zero range for various GT classes uses new types of renewable materials which further reduce its environmental footprint.

The Cinturato WHB, that rounds off the revision of Pirelli’s GT range, features a new tread design which has allowed the use of the latest generation materials. These new compounds along with increased tread stiffness have improved the footprint, optimising grip and warm-up at low temperatures, without compromising stability in crossover conditions from wet to dry or sensitivity to aquaplaning, which is actually improved. The WHB’s operating range is thus widened compared to the previous generation tyre.

The new tyre will be gradually extended to all Grand Touring championships starting with the GTWC

In line with its programme of continuous development of motorsport products made available to teams in all the competitions in which it is involved, Pirelli is launching a new wet weather tyre dedicated to Gran Turismo cars. The evolution of the Cinturato WHB wet-weather tyre, completely renewed in design and optimised in its main performance features, will be used in all the GT championships in which Pirelli is involved.

The debut is scheduled for this season in the DTM and ADAC GT Masters championship of which Pirelli will be sole supplier until 2025 by virtue of today´s announcement (link to other press release). The partnership began in 2023.  

"The DTM is an excellent test bench in racing for the new Cinturato," explains Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager. "In the German series, in fact, top teams and drivers compete on demanding tracks and in sprint races that are always open to the end. The revamped wet-weather tyre, like the P Zero DHF dry-weather tyre, has been developed to meet the needs of all the GT2, GT3 and GT4 cars that compete in all the championships for which we are suppliers and to which it will be gradually extended, according to the needs and schedules of the promoters and teams. The GTWC, in its various continental articulations, will be the next step”.

The Cinturato WHB, which completes the renewal of the GT range after the 2022 launch of the P Zero DHF dry tyre, features a new tread design that has enabled the use of latest-generation materials. These new compounds, together with increased tread rigidity, have improved the footprint, optimising grip and warm-up at low temperatures, without compromising stability in wet-to-dry transition conditions and sensitivity to aquaplaning, which has actually increased.  This broadens the WHB's field of use compared to the previous generation tyre.

Pirelli is present in more than 350 track and off-road championships and is the tyre manufacturer most involved in motorsport worldwide. In the GT series, the Milan-based company is the sole supplier and technology partner not only to the DTM, but also to the GTWC Europe, the GTWC America, the GTWC Asia, the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the main international races and national championships.

Newly developed rain tyre debuts in DTM and ADAC GT Masters

The DTM enters its second season with Pirelli. The Milan-based Italian tyre manufacturer will continue to be the exclusive supplier of tyres for the up to 600-hp Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche cars in 2024/2025. Last season, the Formula 1 supplier's tyres were used for the first time in the 40-year history of the DTM - this year the partnership enters the next round. Drivers and teams will benefit from the expertise of the premium partner, which will also present an innovation this season: Pirelli chose the DTM and the ADAC GT Masters for the premiere of the newly developed Cinturato WHB rain tyre.

Pirelli tyres were already a decisive factor in last year's exciting and varied DTM races. Not only the performance pit stops, which provide a lot of excitement in the middle of the race, but also the tyre specifications. In the 2024 DTM season, the top ten qualifying drivers will start on the tyres they used in qualifying. The following competitors will start the race on fresh tyres. Following the positive experience of last season, when the rule applied to the top six, this rule, which influences the race strategies of the participants, has now been extended to the fastest ten in qualifying.

"Our collaboration is invaluable, not only because of the reliable high quality of the tyres. In Pirelli, we have a company with experience from numerous international racing series, including Formula 1," says ADAC Motorsport Director Thomas Voss.

Matteo Braga, Manager Circuit Activities at Pirelli, comments: "We are looking forward to continuing our experience in this top-class championship and to working with an organiser, teams and drivers of the highest quality. The decision to launch our new generation of wet tyres in the DTM is no coincidence. It has been developed on the basis of our experience last year on the tracks of this series and will now be gradually extended to all GT series. The new rain tyre is part of our programme to continuously develop our product range to follow the evolution of the ever more powerful GT cars and to meet the expectations of our customers".

In 16 races 12 of the 29 entered drivers and all manufacturers won

Braga: 'We ensured reliability and performance, contributing to the spectacle offered by the competitors throughout the season'

Drivers: 'With these tyres you go without worries'

With the title win by Thomas Preining of the Manthey Ema Porsche team, the 2023 DTM season, Pirelli's first as sole supplier, came to a close.

The closing event at the Hokenheimring, which saw Preining win Race 1 and Race 2, confirmed the level of competitiveness that has characterised all eight rounds of the season in one of the world's top motorsport championships:

• Battles with uncertain outcomes and drivers bunched within seconds, both in races and in qualifying
• Reliability and performance of the P Zero DHF dry tyres and Cinturato WHA wet tyres, which were able to accompany and support such close competition

PIRELLI QUOTE
"We are deeply satisfied with our contribution to the success of the newly concluded DTM season, which this year was one of the most competitive championships in the world: it is not usual, in fact, to award the title at the last race with three contenders still in the running. It is a pleasure to work in such a professional environment and with such top drivers. And of course, we are satisfied with the performance of our tyres. In particular of P Zero DHF, which proved to have the right characteristics to support the very high competitive level of the DTM, while ensuring the implementation of the fundamental principle of fairness in sport. We are not surprised by this result, even though the DHF was not specifically designed for the DTM format. In fact, it is the product we developed for GT3s and use on all continents, for different championships and race formats, constantly evolving to adapt to the constant innovations of GT cars, which represent an exceptional platform not only for racing tyres, but also for road tyres, to which we transfer the technological solutions we have tried and tested on the track".

THE SEASON IN FIGURES
The competitiveness expressed by the 2023 DTM season is summed up in the following numbers. In the 16 races of the championship, spread over the eight rounds of the season, the winners were

• 12 drivers out of 29 entries from 6 different countries, i.e., in addition to the newly crowned champion Preining and his pursuer Mirko Bortolotti, Marvin Dienst, Franck Perera, Ricardo Feller, Maro Engel, Sheldon Van Der Linde, Maximilian Paul, Jack Aitken, Luca Stolz, René Rast, Kelvin Van Der Linde
• 9 out of 12 teams, i.e. - in addition to Mantey Ema winning the 2023 team title - Ssr Performance, Tok Sport WRT, ABT Sportline, Landgraf, Shubert Motorsport, GRT Grasser Team, Emil Frey, HRT
• 6 out of 6 manufacturers, Porsche, which takes the manufacturers' title, and in order Lamborghini, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Ferrari
• 5 races (Oschersleben2, Nurburring2, Laustitzring2 and Hockenheim1 and 2) ended with tenths of a second between first and second placed, while none ended with gaps of more than 4 seconds, with the sole exception of Zandvoort1 (6.00 seconds) 

THE DRIVERS' COMMENTS
Thomas Preining (Manthey Ema, Porsche): "The Pirelli tyres work. In particular, qualifying were particularly satisfying with these tyres. We had no tyre damage all season and that is very positive".

Mirko Bortolotti (Ssr Performance, Lamborghini): "The Pirelli tyres have been a great product for this championship, allowing us to run spectacular races throughout the season, without any problems and failures".

Christian Engelhart (GRT Grasser Racing Team, Lamborghini): Pirelli is a very good tyre. You have a peak and then a fairly constant phase throughout the race. You can push hard and that's good in races".

THE DTM TYRES: P ZERO DHF AND CINTURATO WHA
Pirelli P Zero DHF is a tyre developed to meet the specific needs of all GT classes. Features of the DHF include a wide working range and a new construction solution that optimises the car's balance with a better connection between the front and rear axles. The Cinturato WHA are the wet-weather tyres designed to maintain the performance and reliability characteristics of the DHF even in wet asphalt conditions.

Intense heat, tight races right up to the last that met the spectators' expectations and tyres that once again supported spectacle and performance in a round that had been missing from the calendar for 21 years.  This, in a nutshell, was the sixth round of the hard-fought 2023 DTM season that took place this weekend at the Sachsenring and saw Luca Stolz at the wheel of Team HRT's Mercedes AMG GT3 win in Race 1 and Mirko Bertolotti in a Lamborghini win in Race 2.

THE CHALLENGE
The third-to-last stage of the DTM confirmed the traps announced on the eve of the race, related to the layout of the circuit, particularly challenging for cars and tyres.  The track, 3.645 kilometres long with 14 bends (ten of which are left-handed), has a very abrasive asphalt that puts the tyres to the test, especially in conditions of high temperatures like those recorded during the weekend. That's not all: the Saxon track, widely used for motorbike races, is characterised by fast bends and tight sections, and marked changes in altitude, with gradients of up to 13% downhill and up to 10% uphill. These conditions make careful tyre management essential to the outcome of the race. In order to maximise cornering speed, it is essential for the drivers to run as far as possible along ideal racing lines, so as to make the most of the grip offered by the tyres and aerodynamic loads.

PIRELLI QUOTE
"The DTM drivers are now very familiar with our tyres and know what they can expect," comments Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager at Pirelli. "Their knowledge of the tyres, the cars and all the strengths of their package allowed the teams and drivers to interpret the race at their best, even on such a challenging and demanding track. In particular, the drivers were able to make the most of the characteristics of our P Zero tyres in terms of performance, cornering precision and traction. Even though there are still two rounds to go before the end of the season, it is still early to draw up a balance sheet, but for the moment I can definitely say that the DTM is confirming itself as a high-profile championship, in which we are consolidating our experience in GT competition with new knowledge and new points of view". 

THE TYRES
Pirelli P Zero DHF is a tyre developed to meet the specific needs of all GT classes. Features of the DHF include a wider working range and a new construction solution that optimises the car's balance with a better connection between the front and rear axles.

Also a good second in just a week for the P Zero DHFs on the Nürburgring track. The tyre that Pirelli engineers developed for modern GT cars ensured performance and reliability for the drivers competing this weekend in the fourth event of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season.

The weather and track conditions proved to be as challenging as predicted on the eve of the race and not dissimilar to those of last week's GTWC race, i.e. intense and often violent rain, albeit intermittent, which put as much strain on the teams and drivers as it did on the tyres. Thus, the P Zero and Cinturato wet WHA tyres alternated on the track, which the drivers resorted to especially in race 2, given the intensity of the rain. Even in race 1, some opted for the wet tyres, but the best solution turned out to be to stay with the P Zeros.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager at Pirelli: "With their reliability and versatility, due to their wide working range, tyres once again proved to be a key element in ensuring some very close races, in which the weather played an important role and in which we saw cars from different brands get on the podium, with very small gaps. In eight DTM races, we have had eight different winners, confirming the high competitiveness of this series. As in last Sunday's GTWC race, again here at the Nürburgring, the winners were those who first knew how to adapt to the situation and exploit the opportunities offered by the track characteristics and conditions.

P ZERO DHF AND CINTURATO WHA
Pirelli P Zero DHF is a tyre developed to meet the specific requirements of all GT classes. Features of the DHF include a wide working range and a new construction solution, which optimises the car's balance with a better connection between the front and rear axles. The Cinturato WHA are the wet-weather tyres designed to maintain the performance and reliability characteristics of the DHF even in wet conditions.

The historic link between the Nurburgring and Pirelli, which has its permanent testing base at the German circuit, is becoming even more inseparable in 2023. After last May's 24 Hours, at the weekend just ended the long P was the protagonist of the hard-fought round of the GT World Challenge Europe and is about to be in the highly anticipated DTM round, scheduled for 5-6 August.

The three rounds have in common the well-known challenges of the German track, to which are added the frequent weather uncertainties, and the P Zero DHF, which has now become the reference tyre for modern GT cars.

In the GTWC round, thanks to their versatility and adaptability, it was precisely the tyres that made for an always open competition right from the morning qualifying session held in first rainy and then wet track conditions where all the car manufacturers were able to demonstrate their potential even in the most adverse conditions. The race, fought until the last few laps, was won by the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of the Akkodis team. The wide working range of the P Zero DHF allowed teams and drivers to cope, while maintaining maximum performance, with the continuous instability of the weather, which passed throughout the weekend from sunny and warm moments to autumnal moments with cold and rain.

Conditions that could also be repeated for next weekend's DTM race, in which some of the team and drivers who competed last Sunday in the GTWC will take part.

PIRELLI QUOTE
"The increasingly spectacular races we are witnessing, and the positive feedback from the teams, are giving us full confidence that we have achieved our objective, which is to have developed a product capable of adapting to all conditions and all cars," comments Matteo Braga, Circuit Activity Manager at Pirelli. "With this in mind, we also expect the DTM to be a hard-fought and open race right to the end, in which the marked weather variability will play an important role and require great reactivity from teams and drivers. Those who raced this weekend in the GTWC have a small advantage, because they were able to accumulate data and gain experience, but the truth is that at the Nurburgring the winner is the one who first knows how to react to changes in the situation and to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the characteristics of the track itself. In championships where the performance of the cars is so close, careful management of the tyres and their potential according to the track conditions is fundamental".

THE TRACK
The Nurburgring is a notoriously technical track, extremely demanding for the tyres, with many medium-low speed corners and short straights. Getting a good exit into the corners helps overtaking on the short straights that follow, which offer good passing opportunities in some places.

THE TYRES
Pirelli P Zero DHF is a tyre developed to meet the specific needs of all GT classes. Features of the DHF include a wider working range and a new construction solution, which optimises the car's balance with a better connection between the front and rear axles.

With its steep banked corners and twisty rollercoaster layout, the tyres are worked hard at the home of the Dutch Grand Prix – and today conditions were even more challenging thanks to asphalt temperatures that peaked at 46 degrees centigrade.

Nonetheless the Pirelli P Zero DHF tyres performed perfectly throughout the pair of races that make up every DTM weekend, contributing to some spectacular action with plenty of overtaking. Also on the menu were support races that included the GT4 category as well as the F1 Academy (a single-seater series  for up-and-coming young women) additionally equipped by Pirelli.

Pirelli’s circuit activity manager Matteo Braga said: “The versatility of our P Zero DHF tyres, which are designed to equip cars in both the GT3 and GT4 classes, was underlined once more today by four brands now winning in four races throughout the DTM season so far. Despite track conditions that were considerably warmer today than yesterday, the tyres performed equally well over a wide working range, playing an integral part in all the battles that are a consistent hallmark of this closely-fought and prestigious championship.”

Particular attention must also be paid to the track's grip variations

Braga: "To achieve a balance between peak and consistency of performance, optimising the warm-up phases, it is best never to go below the pressure limits that we recommend to the teams"

Everything is ready at Zandvoort for races three and four of the 2023 DTM season, for which Pirelli is sole supplier from this year. The Dutch track is notoriously one of the most demanding and perhaps the most treacherous in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, posing particular challenges to both cars and tyres, with the latter involved in both traction and cornering.

From the point of view of the tyres, the main pitfalls of the track are related to the high vertical and lateral loads, due to the high-speed corners, and the presence of banking in Turn 3 (Hugenholtzbocht) and Turn 14, with inclines of up to 19 and 18 degrees respectively.  At these points, the gradient determines opposite effects on the vertical and lateral loads with consequences for the tyres and the overall performance of the car.

On the one hand, steep slopes lighten the lateral load, due to the component of the weight force parallel to the road, with an increase in the speed attainable in bends. On the other hand, the perpendicular component of the same weight force strongly increases the vertical load on the tyres, which increases by a non-negligible percentage compared to those on a non-sloping road surface, at the same speed and aerodynamic load. This phenomenon translates into more stress on the tyre construction.

Another point of attention of the Zandvoort track is its proximity to the sea and the dunes, which results in the possible presence of sand and high concentrations of salt on the asphalt. The consequence is that there are variable grip conditions to deal with, and the best choice is to opt for a flexible setup that can adapt quickly to changes in the track surface and always generate the best possible grip.

PIRELLI QUOTES
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: "Our P Zero DHFs are highly versatile, ensuring performance and reliability even in such severe conditions, which were confirmed both in yesterday's free practice and this morning's qualifying. It is important, however, to pay attention to the operating pressures both at the start and after the mandatory pit stop and to stick to our recommended pressures, which are characteristic of this product and valid for every event in the championship.  We must never forget, in fact, that the duration of the tyre warm-up phase can be optimised by increasing the amount of air in the tyre. Therefore, in order to achieve the best balance between performance, degradation and tyre warm-up times, it is best never to go below the limits we set”. 

P Zero DHFs confirm their versatility and reliability in all race conditions

Braga: “The first test gave us and the teams useful indications on the best strategies to implement and the parameters to adopt in the race”

A happy premiere for Pirelli and the P Zero DHFs, which made a successful debut in the DTM - one of the world's top international motorsport competitions, adding to the more than 350 championships supplied by the Italian company worldwide. In the two races of the first event of the season held at the Oschersleben circuit and won by Franck Perera (Lamborghini) and Christian Engelhart (Porsche) respectively, the P Zero tyres ensured reliability and performance for the 28 drivers and 14 teams in the German competition, who appreciated their versatility both in qualifying and in the race. 

Adaptability to the most diverse cars and conditions are in fact the main characteristics of the DHF, the specification of Pirelli's iconic P Zero family dedicated to GT cars, which last year was completely redesigned to accompany the relentless technological evolution of the cars. At Oschersleben, race conditions were dry on both Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures around 20 degrees. For the tyres, the greatest stresses came from the tortuous layout of the track with medium-slow sections and sudden changes of direction that also put the mechanics of the cars to the test. 


PIRELLI QUOTE 
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: "We are very satisfied with the performance of our tyres in the first seasonal event of such a prestigious championship, which offers us an exceptional stage in a key market like Germany. We and the teams have drawn valuable indications for the continuation of the season, and we have collected a lot of data that we have already started to analyse carefully. It is still early to draw definitive conclusions, but I can say that our product has confirmed its great adaptability, which has allowed all the drivers to find themselves in a position to compete for top positions with gaps of a few tenths of a second. It is no coincidence that we had very close races and two different brands on the top step of the podium. In qualifying we had over 15 cars within 0.5 seconds and the whole field within a second. Obviously, everyone will have to find the best strategy to fot performance, consistency, and tyre management over the weekend. At Zandvoort we will be confronted with a different situation, because of the weather conditions and the layout of the circuit, and for sure the teams will arrive with more know-how that will help them calibrate their strategies even better." 
 

The DHF specification is the latest generation of Pirelli tyres dedicated to GT cars

Braga: "We are honoured to support teams of this level. We will certainly have a lot to learn"

Pirelli is ready to make its debut in the DTM, one of the world's top motorsport competitions, adding to the already more than 350 championships for which the Milan-based company is a supplier on five continents. It kicks off this weekend at the Motorsport Arena in Oschersleben, where the first of eight events of the championship is being held, involving 28 drivers, 14 teams and the cars of six of the most prestigious German and Italian car brands, which Pirelli already supplies in the other Motorsport categories, as well as for road cars. As in the other categories, the teams will be supported by dedicated Pirelli engineers and technicians.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activities manager: "We are delighted to be able to take part in this competition, which is at the highest level of world motorsport, not only for the quality of the teams and drivers competing, but also for the approach to the sport of the organizers, with whom we have been collaborating for several years and have been keen to support with our products and experience. The tyres we supply to the DTM have already proven their reliability in other categories and belong to a constantly evolving range, which is being enriched with solutions thanks to the knowledge we gather on race fields around the world. Every single piece of feedback from our customers is considered when defining the characteristics of our product range. In the DTM we will also have a lot to learn and our product will certainly benefit from this. We decided to provide our DHF product for the first season to start from an established base on which all car makers have developed/optimised their cars and with which most teams have already worked in other contexts. Not least, the DHF is the current basis of SRO's BoP, which guarantees very balanced performance across all car models''.

THE PRODUCT RANGE FOR THE DTM
Cars taking part in the DTM championship will be equipped with the P Zero DHF, the specification of Pirelli's iconic P Zero family dedicated to GT cars, which was completely redesigned last year to accompany the cars' relentless technological evolution.  A key feature of the DHF is its versatility and adaptability to the most diverse cars, set-ups and conditions.

For wet conditions, drivers will have at their disposal the Cinturato WHA, which is able to provide good performance both in the presence of water on the track and when the track dries out, allowing teams to play on strategies and tyre changes in crossover conditions.

The P Zero and Cinturato families also have greater sustainability characteristics than their predecessors. Already in the development phase, the environmental impact of the DHF and WHA was reduced with the extensive use of virtual modelling to replace physical prototypes, which was reduced by almost 20 per cent. The P Zero range for cars uses new types of renewable materials that further reduce their environmental footprint.

COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
For Pirelli, production for all motorsport categories is a test bench and at the same time an opportunity to optimise all processes, from production to hospitality, also in terms of sustainability. The company - the first tyre manufacturer in the world to be awarded the three stars of the Environmental Accreditation Programme promoted by the FIA for its commitment to sustainability in motorsport - aims to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030 with the gradual replacement of the sources of electricity purchased for all its factories, switching from fossil fuels to renewable ones.