FIRST CAPSULE AVAILABLE ON THE OFFICIAL E-COMMERCE SITE FROM SEPTEMBER 22

Milan – 22 September 2025. Pirelli Design expands its collection and launches the lifestyle project, which complements the other two business areas of this Pirelli division: merchandising, with collections dedicated to motorsport and corporate heritage, and licensing, which includes collaborations with prestigious brands ranging from the world of sailing to skiing, from watchmaking to sports equipment.

Two clothing capsules debut to inaugurate the PIRELLI Lifestyle Collection 2025-2026: Racing Team and The Cal™, featuring pieces inspired by the Pirelli universe, created by the world-renowned designer Denis Deković. With over thirty years of experience in the world of sportswear, Deković brings his vision to this partnership, creating exclusive pieces that embody performance and prestige, hallmarks of the PIRELLI brand. The collection consolidates the partnership which began last March with the Special Edition Podium Caps worn by Formula 1® drivers.

The Racing Team capsule collection will be launched during Milan Fashion Week and will be available on the official e-commerce site (https://store.pirelli.com/) starting from today, September 22nd. The collection dedicated to The Cal™ will be available from October, also on the official channel.

The PIRELLI Lifestyle Collection 2025-2026 will premiere on the eve of Milan Fashion Week: an evening event with a DJ set and dedicated displays on September 22nd at Parco Ravizza, designed to engage a younger audience.

"This collaboration is an opportunity for me to celebrate a brand that is not just technology but also culture: it has shaped the imagination, inspired art, and transformed performance into an icon. The idea was simple: take essential pieces that everyone loves—a T-shirt, a hoodie, a varsity jacket—and elevate them through craftsmanship and attention to detail. We reworked each piece with a modern unisex fit, used the highest-quality materials to ensure durability, and paid attention to every stitching. Each piece is embellished with graphics that celebrate Pirelli's heritage, but also its present and future," said Denis Deković, presenting the collection.

“The collaboration with Denis Dekovic marks a new chapter for Pirelli in the world of Lifestyle, where we bring our passion for design. Denis has done an excellent job: every piece and every detail in this collection reflects the tireless pursuit of innovation that has always distinguished us. This line fits seamlessly with the identity of our brand, which has always been known internationally for its style and glamour, elements that have a strong appeal to younger generations and will therefore help strengthen their connection with the Pirelli universe”, said Marco Maria Tronchetti Provera, SVP Pirelli Design & Assets Conversion

A CAPSULE BLENDING MOTORSPORT, INNOVATION AND STYLE

The PIRELLI Lifestyle Collection includes exclusive, high-quality clothing and accessories. The pieces, produced in Italy, feature meticulous craftsmanship and are inspired by Pirelli's passion for speed, technological innovation, and design.

Drop 1 - Racing Team blends technology and lifestyle, drawing inspiration from Pirelli's motorsport heritage. Each product is designed for those who embrace speed as a way of life yet also know how to slow down to enjoy authentic moments. This line combines modern, functional design with sophisticated details that interpret racing iconography in a contemporary way, celebrating precision, energy, and movement.

Racing Team consists of four garments designed to last, thanks to superior materials: jersey T-shirts presented in short-sleeve and long-sleeve versions; a French terry hoodie; and a cotton souvenir jacket with leather sleeves. It's more than just clothing: it's a statement of identity, an invitation to live with passion, freedom, and authenticity.

The Victory Long Sleeve

An essential piece that embodies the spirit of motorsport with a contemporary twist. Crafted from premium cotton and featuring a modern, unisex fit, the Victory Long Sleeve stands out in Pirelli's iconic yellow, a color that expresses energy and confidence. The graphics are inspired by classic racing iconography, with sleeve prints evoking the dynamic placement of motorsport sponsors and emblems. The mixed-media design combines rubberized prints — an extension of the PIRELLI tyre universe — with embroidered details that lend craftsmanship, depth, and texture. A woven textile label on the back evokes the insignia of legendary circuits.

The Grid Tee

A timeless essential, the Grid Tee is crafted from heavyweight cotton for structure and durability, with a refined unisex fit. In classic black, it becomes a canvas for motorsport-inspired graphics, evoking the energy and attitude typical of racing culture. The distinctive detail is the tone-on-tone yellow PIRELLI logo with a rubberized finish: a tactile element reminiscent of the world of tires, offering a discreet yet impactful signature. Balanced by embroidered and printed motifs, the composition expresses a decisive and measured aesthetic.

Pit Jacket

Inspired by the classic mechanic's jacket, the Pit Jacket is crafted from durable canvas and features a modern unisex fit that combines functionality and sophisticated design. Racing iconography comes to life through embroidered graphics and rubberized details, including the tone-on-tone yellow PIRELLI logo. Clean lines and versatile style make it an essential piece.

The Apex Hoodie

Crafted from premium French terry and featuring a modern unisex fit, the Apex Hoodie combines technical functionality and craftsmanship. Motorsport iconography comes to life through embroidered graphics and the yellow rubberized Pirelli patch. Underarm ventilation zips add a technical touch, ensuring adaptability and comfort while on the move.

Drop 2 - The Cal™ consists of three items that capture the essence of a brand milestone: the PIRELLI Calendar, a timeless symbol of art and innovation. The Cal™ logo stands out in relief on the front of the wool and leather varsity jacket and on the cotton T-shirts available in long and short sleeves.

The Cal™ collection, presented in earth tones and deep black, celebrates the concept of time as art. The garments are unique pieces, designed to last, reinterpreting the Calendar's visual language through refined techniques: embroidery, rubber prints, and woven details.

The Chronicle Tee

The Chronicle T-shirt pays homage to the timeless art of the PIRELLI Calendar. Crafted from heavy cotton with a unisex fit, its design expresses the concept of time through circular graphics that recall the rhythm of months and moments. It features tactile rubber prints, and the earthy brown hue lends warmth and a sense of permanence.

The Legacy Crewneck

An essential piece elevated to icon status, the Legacy sweatshirt is crafted from soft French terry in earthy brown and cut in a modern unisex fit. Embroidered graphics reinterpret the visual language of the Calendar, while the yellow Pirelli textile label adds a signature artisanal touch of authenticity. Underarm ventilation zippers add a technical touch, offering adaptability and comfort on the move.

The Archive Jacket

With its streamlined silhouette, the Archive jacket, crafted from a premium blend of wool and eco-leather, embodies durability and sophistication. Its minimalist aesthetic, further enhanced by the all-black colorway, is enhanced by embroidered graphics and the iconic yellow PIRELLI logo.

DISCOVER THE COLLECTION AT https://store.pirelli.com/

Published on: 22 September 2025, 13:25 CET

P ZERO DHF MAKES ITS BATHURST DEBUT
For the 20^th edition of the endurance classic, Pirelli brought its P Zero DHF tyre to Bathurst for the first time (with 12 sets of tyres allocated per car for practice, qualifying, and the race). This tyre was introduced in Europe last year but made its debut in Bathurst, playing a key part in the fastest race in the GT3 history of the event. The DHF is quicker than the previous DHE, with better and more consistent performance across a stint length, over a wide variety of cars and track conditions. The latest hard compound DHF shattered the previous qualifying record from 2016 (set with a medium compound) courtesy of Engel.

RELIABILITY AS WELL AS SPEED
Part of the reason why the race was so fast was a very low number of safety car interventions, with green flag racing for more than four hours in the nail-biting closing stages. The reliability from the cars and the tyres was impressive: during the final stint the leading Mercedes driven by Gounon chose not to change tyres, but still held off the hard-charging Porsche that finished second. Habul was asked by TV interviewers at the finish: “What are you going to do with the tyres that come off the car now? They deserve something special.”

PIRELLI RACING ACTIVITY MANAGER MATTEO BRAGA
“This was one of the best races in Bathurst history: congratulations to Jules Gounon for his third win in a row and to all the drivers on the podium, who put on a fantastic show to make this a record-breaking spectacle. The new DHF tyres adapted quickly to the demands of Bathurst, underlining their raw speed in qualifying as well as their reliability on race day. With the race starting at 0545 and finishing in the afternoon, they had to cope with a difference of more than 20 degrees centigrade – from eight to 30 degrees centigrade – as well as a wide variety of strategies.”

A SPECTACULAR SHOW FROM PIRELLI
Nearly 55,000 spectators watched the event – another record – who also got the chance to see New Zealander Liam Lawson drive a Pirelli-equipped Red Bull F1 car around the 6.2-kilometre rollercoaster track, which he described as “the craziest thing I’ve ever done.” Pirelli has supplied the tyres for the Bathurst 12 Hours since 2017, with Gounon now joining an exclusive club of three-time Bathurst winners, while Mercedes pulls level with Audi in terms of overall Bathurst GT3 victories.

NEXT EVENT
The Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli resumes for the Kyalami 9 Hour in South Africa from February 23-25, with the world’s most prestigious car brands represented once again.

The challenge

• Unusually for a street circuit, the Baku track features a very long pit straight. To maximise top speeds, teams do not run their cars with maximum downforce, meaning there is more reliance on mechanical grip from the tyres through the many corners.

• As a street circuit, there is considerable track evolution over the course of the weekend, with the available grip increasing as more rubber is laid down during each session.

• Safety cars are a frequent occurrence in Baku, meaning strategy and the timing of the mandatory pit-stop in the feature race can be crucial. Because of this, the teams also need to ensure that their strategies remain flexible enough to cater for any eventuality.

The tyres and strategy

• In Baku, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Red supersoft tyres will be available, as was the case in 2017.

• Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two soft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

What happened last year?

Charles Leclerc won the first race from pole position, after switching from the supersoft to the medium on lap seven. While the top seven finishers all followed the same strategy, Ralph Boschung came from 16th to eighth after starting on the medium tyres. Leclerc crossed the finish line first again in race two from eighth on the grid, but a penalty meant that Norman Nato won the race, in which every driver used the medium tyre.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “Baku provides a real challenge for the drivers and tyres, as the fastest street circuit on the calendar, and one that has witnessed a few incidents in the past: thanks also to some narrow sections and limited run-off areas. This year’s race could be quite different from last year in terms of track temperature, as it is being held much earlier in the season, so we can expect cooler weather. Unlike Formula 1, the Formula 2 sessions tend to be held in the middle of the day, which should at least mean that these track temperatures remain consistent. But there will almost certainly be a few new things to discover in these conditions and with these new cars.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

WHAT TO EXPEXCT
Monza is the fastest circuit of the championship, so it’s vital to manage the tyres to keep the compound within the ideal temperature window (remembering of course that on the long straights the tyre can ‘rest’ and cool down). With high speeds and fast corners, Monza is a massive test for tyres as so much energy is put through them. The drivers will have to pay particular attention to the two Lesmo corners as well as Ascari and Parabolica, bearing in mind also that the cars carry the lowest downforce settings of the year to enhance top speed. At the end of the straight, they will be touching 280kph…

ANY SURPRISE IN STORE?
The new Pirelli P Zero DHD2 tyre has been specifically developed for GT racing and is designed to provide a better handling balance between front and rear, which is particularly useful on the more technical circuits. While the DHD2 makes the biggest difference at medium speed corners, it could also provide some interesting developments on the faster corners at Monza. With the new P Zero tyres having been designed to be easier to drive on the limit, the Am drivers have a chance to get closer to the Pro drivers.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
It’s important to feel every reaction from the car at Monza so as not to lose control in the highspeed sections. Such as the famous Curvone, which the cars come out of at around 260kph, flat- out in sixth gear, before tackling a braking area: testing the balance between car and tyres, as well as the instincts of the drivers. For the 2018 season the number of manufacturers represented increases to 11, making it this the championship with the highest number of represented manufacturers in Europe. The Lexus RC F GT3 embarks on its first full season while the latest Bentley Continental GT3 makes its competition debut. Matteo Braga, circuit technical manager: “While our DHD2 tyres have already made their public debut and raced on different events all around the world, this is the first time that they will compete on such a rapid track as Monza as part of the Endurance Cup. As a result, they will be expected to withstand the extremely heavy loadings typical of this circuit, providing not just consistent pace, but also reliability over a long period of time.”

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Pirelli Press OfficePh. +39 02 6442 4270 –pressoffice@pirelli.com – www.pirelli.com

Faggioli breaks his own record. As he prepares for an assault on the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb in Colorado later this year, the 10-time European Champion in this specialised discipline underlined his scintillating form, making the very most of his car and its Pirelli P Zero supersoft tyres. On the first of two runs he broke the course record of 2m14.848s that he had established back in 2016, setting a new best time of 2m14.143s at an average speed of 136kph. Unfortunately, a mechanical problem meant that the Italian was not able to do a second run and match the victory he claimed on this event last year.

Andreucci sets a new record for consecutive wins at Sanremo. Faggioli’s record was set during the same weekend that another new benchmark was established by one of Pirelli’s best-known champions: Paolo Andreucci. The reigning Italian rally champion, co-driven by Anna Andreussi in their Peugeot 208 T16, won the famous Sanremo Rally for the fourth consecutive time, which nobody else in rallying history has ever done before.

Completing Pirelli’s triumph were two more class victories at the Sanremo Rally, with Lucio Da Zanche and Daniele De Luis winning the historic section in their Porsche 911 SC on Pirelli P7 Corsa Classic tyres, while Gabriele Cogni and Marco Pollicino dominated the Leggenda classification in a Skoda Fabia R5, running on the same Pirelli P Zero RK5 tyres that Andreucci used to win overall. Andrea Crugnola also triumphed in the Italian asphalt championship category, taking a Ford Fiesta R5 to sixth overall.

Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli rally activity manager. “We were eagerly anticipating this weekend as it contained two very important events for our tyres and their drivers. In France, Simone Faggioli underlined the excellence of the Pirelli P Zero product for hillclimbs, which has claimed the championship every year since we entered the sport. Only bad luck meant he wasn’t able to complement his brilliant new course record with another overall victory. On the Sanremo Rally, which celebrated its 90th anniversary this year, the stages were as usual extremely variable and challenging. Drivers had to tackle fog, slippery surfaces and dirty roads during the night stages on Friday, mainly using the soft compound P Zero RKW7B tyres. On Saturday, good weather and dry roads offered plenty of grip, where Paolo Andreucci used the harder P Zero RK5 tyres to beat the record for consecutive wins on this legendary Italian event.”

Feature Race, the winner: Norris, a McLaren reserve driver in Formula 1, stamped his authority by winning from pole position. Like most drivers, he chose to start on the medium tyre and then switched to the soft, consistently pulling out an advantage over his pursuers in the early stages. All the stops took place within roughly the same pit stop window during the 32-lap race, between laps 14 and 18. Nonetheless, Norris emerged from his stop on lap 18 without losing the lead, finishing ahead of his team mate Sergio Sette Camara.

Lando Norris: “Formula 2 is about having to manage the tyres; trying to push the right amount and conserve the right amount: getting that balance right. You’re always concentrating, on braking right and not locking up and not wheelspinning or sliding or anything: just every lap you’re concentrating on all those things. You can’t relax, and that’s what makes it so challenging. But it was the perfect result for us.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Artem Markelov (Russian Time) was forced into a different approach after his car stalled on the grid and he had to start from the pit lane. He too began on the medium tyre before switching to soft. Incredibly, he worked his way up to third at the flag, thanks to a well-timed pit stop and a fighting drive.The Trident drivers (Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini) were the only ones to try an alternative strategy, starting on soft and then switching to medium. This wasn’t a tactic that made a difference though.

Sprint Race, the winner: Last year’s sprint race was sensationally won by Charles Leclerc, now driving for Sauber in Formula 1, by making a pit stop even though it wasn’t compulsory. This lesson was taken on board, with Prema driver Nick de Vries (the same team as Leclerc’s in 2017) being one of the drivers to try it this year, pitting from the lead on lap nine to swap the soft tyre for the medium. Equipped with faster rubber he began to make his way through the field, all the way to fifth at the finish. Race winner Artem Markelov adopted a more conventional strategy, winning on the medium tyres from sixth on the reverse grid without making a pit stop.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “The Feature Race panned out as we expected, with nearly all the drivers following the medium-soft strategy, although it was interesting to see a few drivers try the ‘Leclerc strategy’ in the Sprint Race, but with not quite the same degree of success as last year. Degradation was generally quite high on Sunday – but actually not on Saturday – with Bahrain now being the venue that has the roughest track surface of the year. There were also some high temperatures during the day but all the drivers managed these challenges well; especially Norris and Markelov.”

NEXT RACE

The next round of the Formula 2 Championship takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 27-29.

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.com

For more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

The challenge

• Bahrain’s Sakhir International Circuit features three long straights and some relatively slow corners. Traction and braking are therefore key, placing demands on the rear tyres.

• High temperatures mean that thermal degradation can be a significant factor, particularly as the Formula 2 races will take place during the day, unlike Formula 1.

• The teams all took part in three days of pre-season testing at the circuit last month, so the race weekend could demonstrate who made best use of that running.

The tyres and strategy

• This year’s Formula 2 tyres are similar to those used last season. The construction is almost the same, with just a few minor differences. The compounds are also very close to those used in 2017, but not identical.

• In Bahrain, the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tyres will be available, as was the case at the same circuit last year. This represents the middle of the Pirelli range for Formula 2, with hard and supersoft compounds also available to be nominated during the season.

• Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use over the weekend: three medium and two soft. They also have three sets of wet-weather tyres. During race one, where there is a mandatory pit stop, both compounds have to be used unless it is declared a wet race. Pit stops are optional in race two.

What happened last year?

The 2017 Bahrain round was one of the most notable ever in terms of tyre strategy, as Charles Leclerc won race two in unusual fashion with a pit stop for a change of tyres mid-way through. From sixth on the grid, Leclerc fought his way to the front on medium tyres and built up a big lead before pitting for the soft tyres. He returned to the track in 14th place but was able to use the speed from the soft tyre to move through the pack within nine laps.

Artem Markelov had also used strategy to win the first race, making his medium tyres last two laps longer than Leclerc and Norman Nato before using fresher soft tyres to overtake both late on.

Quote

Mario Isola, Pirelli head of car racing: “There haven’t been any big changes to the Formula 2 tyres since last year, but we modified the construction slightly to take into account the new turbo engine – which generates more torque – as well as the increased front downforce of the latest F2 chassis. Bahrain is a circuit that’s all about traction, so the drivers will have to manage their rear tyres in particular. Strategy as always will be very important: Formula 2 drivers don’t have to start the race using the tyres on which they qualify, which opens up the possibility of different tactics. Charles Leclerc used an innovative strategy in the sprint race last year by making a pit stop. While it seems an unlikely option again, motorsport is a constant learning process for everyone, so I’m sure that all the teams will have paid close attention to see if they can learn anything from it for this year.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony.peacock.ex@pirelli.comFor more information on the FIA Formula 2 Championship, please visit: www.fiaformula2.com

The races: The season begins with a five-hour race at Suzuka, which also hosts the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, and from this August will stage the 10 Hours of Suzuka, a round of the Pirelli-supplied Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Super Taikyu calendar also includes a 24-hour race at Fuji Speedway in June. There are also rounds at Sugo, Autopolis, Motegi and Okayama, with a mixture of single five-hour races and two three-hour races.

The competitors: Super Taikyu features a multi-class structure to accommodate a wide variety of different cars. The top category, ST-X, consists of GT3-specification cars like those that race on Pirelli tyres in the Blancpain GT Series. There are also classes for other machinery, and for cars closer to production specification. In all, there are 57 cars entered.

The products: Pirelli will supply P Zero slick tyres in a range of different sizes (15-inch, 17-inch, and 18-inch) as well as wet-weather tyres in case of rain.

Quotes: Matteo Braga, Pirelli circuit activity manager: “Super Taikyu is an exciting new project for Pirelli as we continue to increase our presence in Asia, and the first time we have supplied a championship in Japan, from Japan. With a diverse range of cars and several demanding circuits, Super Taikyu provides a challenge to a tyre supplier but it is one we are well equipped to face with our experience around the world, as well as the competence of our local team.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For more information about Super Taikyu, please visit: supertaikyu.com

The challenge: Mexico is the first gravel rally of the year, run in hot weather at high altitude, in a compact route around the host city of Leon. It’s demanding both for drivers and cars, with road position also set to be an important factor.

The Pirelli drivers: Mexico isn’t a round of the Junior World Rally Championship, exclusively supplied by Pirelli, so instead a selection of WRC2 drivers – the feeder category to the main WRC – will benefit from the latest Pirelli Scorpion K gravel tyres. These include local heroes Benito Guerra, in a Skoda Fabia R5, and Ricardo Trivino, driving a Citroen DS3 R5.

The product: Pirelli will bring the Scorpion K to Mexico, which is designed to efficiently evacuate loose gravel and improve performance without compromising on durability. It’s available in two compounds for the hot and demanding Mexican roads: K4, which is a hard compound, and K6, which is a soft compound. The hard is the main choice, with the soft as a back-up.

The rules: The drivers are allowed to use up to 22 tyres during the event, with a separate allocation for the shakedown.

The event: Rally Mexico gets underway on Thursday 8 March with the first of 22 special stages, totalling 344.49 kilometres. The finish is at 14:30 on Sunday 11 March, back in Leon. The route is not dissimilar to that of previous years, with the longest stage being the 31.44-kilometre El Chocolate, run twice on Friday.

Pirelli quote: Terenzio Testoni, rally activity manager: “On the third event of our return to the World Rally Championship, we face very different conditions compared to those encountered in Monte-Carlo or Sweden. We’re confident that the latest evolutions brought to the Scorpion K tyre – which now combines strength with more performance than ever – will enable our drivers to show the very best of their abilities on these demanding gravel roads.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For more information on Rally Mexico, please visit: www.rallymexico.com

Three different cars in a closely-fought top three, same P Zero tyres The winning Audi was followed by a Mercedes AMG GT3: incredibly just 1.5 seconds behind. The third-placed Porsche, only 30 seconds behind the winner, made it three manufacturers in the top three. Despite these very different vehicle architectures and dynamics, the same Pirelli P Zero GT tyres performed equally well on all of them, helping to deliver an incredibly exciting and closely-fought race. The same tyres were also fitted to the GT4 cars and local V8 machinery that were additionally eligible for the race. Pirelli P Zero tyres for the road offer the same sporting emotions for an equally wide variety of supercars, underlining the company’s famed track to road philosophy.

Excitement and incidents on the track, perfect reliability from the tyres In total there were 16 safety cars for various incidents throughout the 12 hours, as well as drama with late changes of lead and a huge accident that caused the race to be stopped 20 minutes early. The victim of the accident, Ash Walsh, is expected to make a full recovery and actually won the Am class despite his Audi being destroyed. Despite all the incidents, the Pirelli tyres proved to be perfectly reliable, allowing the drivers to maximise every opportunity that presented itself on the six-kilometre Mount Panorama circuit, with its 23 corners. The first corner is called ‘Hell Corner’, and that sets the tone for the rest of the lap…

Strategy at the forefront Strategy was at the forefront during the 12 hours with the drivers aiming to minimise the number of pit stops (dictated by the need to refuel rather than change tyres) and make the most of the numerous safety car periods. Because of this, the final part of the race consisted of drivers trying to stretch out the fuel window. “We were actually hoping for a safety car at the end,” said Frijns. “Without that, I don’t think we would have made it on fuel. We were fine for tyres.”

The best GT drivers in the world The opening race of the four-round Intercontinental GT Challenge, designed as the ultimate global competition for motorsport’s leading GT drivers, featured the highest-quality field ever seen, with factory drivers from the world’s most desirable automotive brands: most of which also use Pirelli tyres as original equipment for the road. The top seven all finished on the same lap (lap 271) and there were three overall Le Mans winners in the top six.

Intercontinental GT Challenge infographic

From Pirelli’s point of view Matteo Braga, racing activity manager: “Bathurst again delivered on its reputation for being one of the most challenging and action-packed endurance races on the international calendar. From a tyre perspective, our P Zero slicks functioned perfectly on a very wide variety of cars and layouts, from rear-engined GT3 to front-engined V8, and proved to be user-friendly for both professional and amateur drivers. Grip levels as always were quite variable on different parts of the track, with a wide range of ambient temperatures during the 12 hours. Despite this moving target we saw one of the most fiercely-contested races to have ever taken place in Bathurst. The pace was such that the fastest lap in the race was close to that in qualifying despite the fuel load, and the different strategies and number of safety cars meant that until the final hours, all the manufacturers had cars in the top 10 and in contention for the win.”

What’s next? The next round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge is the famed Spa 24 Hours from July 26-29. Part of the Blancpain GT Series as well, Spa will once more attract the top GT3 drivers in the world, on what is widely reckoned to be the most epic circuit on the calendar, characterised by variable weather and plenty of elevation changes.

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For more information about the race, please visit: www.bathurst12hour.com.au For more information about the four rounds of the SRO-promoted Intercontinental GT Challenge, please visit: www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com

Please find attached an infographic that sets out details of the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge, which is copyright-free for editorial use throughout the year. For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

The competitors: The Intercontinental GT Challenge showcases the best GT3 drivers in the world, in a very wide variety of cars. Some of the top stars include factory drivers such as Earl Bamber, Romain Dumas, Augusto Farfus, Robin Frijns, Pat Long, Alvaro Parente and Laurens Vanthoor. Local stars include Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes and Shane Van Gisbergen. There is also a GT4 category and two local classes (including one for V8 cars). In total, 12 manufacturers are represented in the 53-car field – but they all use the same tyre.

The product: Pirelli will bring its P Zero slick specifically designed for GT racing to Bathurst, which has been tried and tested in the Blancpain GT Series, plus a wet tyre in case it rains. To cope with the demands of the circuit and expected hot weather during the day, as well as to provide the capability to double-stint, this tyre comes in a hard compound only.

The strategy: Last year, there were numerous safety car periods during the 12 hours, so tailoring the stop strategy to take advantage of these neutralisations proved to be key. The tyres can be double-stinted, but with the race starting at 05:45 and then finishing the in the late afternoon, ambient temperatures can vary by 15 degrees centigrade or more, which also has an effect on tyre wear and degradation.

Quotes: Matteo Braga, Pirelli circuit activity manager: “Contrary to previous years, we are bringing just one type of tyre to the Bathurst 12 Hours this time. This works equally well on a wide range of vehicle architectures and should have the effect of closing up the competition by removing a number of variables. As a result, this could be the hardest-fought race here yet. The surface at Bathurst is smooth and low-grip, but with high temperatures and challenging corners, there is a lot of work to do for the tyres. It's a circuit with very specific demands.”

Practical info: The race gets underway on the 6.213-kilometre track at 05:45 on Sunday 4 February, following two qualifying sessions plus a top-10 grid shoot-out on Saturday. There are four practice sessions on Friday. For more information about the race, please visit: www.bathurst12hour.com.au For more information about the four rounds of the SRO-promoted Intercontinental GT Challenge, please visit: www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com

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Please find attached an infographic that sets out details of the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge, which is copyright-free for editorial use throughout the year. For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Artem Markelov: “I had a really good start and tried to get a gap to the guys behind but I was also thinking of tyre degradation, so I was trying to look after them and calm down. After my stop, I was really struggling on my first two laps with the wheels locking, but I still managed to have a gap to Charles, so I wasn’t worried.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Newly-crowned champion Leclerc ran the opposite strategy: starting on soft to lead for a large part of the race after the supersoft starters pitted. He then switched to supersoft on lap 23, but experienced tyre degradation at the finish – obeying team orders to let his team mate Fuoco past him.

Sprint Race, the winner: Leclerc added to his remarkable season by sealing a seventh win this year on the final lap, when he passed ART’s Alexander Albon, who had led from the beginning. The sprint race was held in warm temperatures, and was all about preserving the soft tyre for the duration of the 22-lap encounter, with no mandatory pit stops.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Arden’s Niko Kari triumphed in the Feature Race, which was disrupted by two Virtual Safety Cars, managing his soft tyres perfectly at every re-start. The Finn built his victory on a bold overtaking move at the first corner and was never headed – despite an intense battle behind him.

Sprint Race, the winner: Another debut win was taken, this time by Trident’s Dorian Boccolacci. His team mate Ryan Tveter, who started from reverse pole, finished second after being overtaken on lap three.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “Tyre strategy was at the centre of the Formula 2 feature race, which was held in the evening under the lights. The GP3 race was a completely different challenge, all about making the soft tyres last in the heat of the day. It's been another thrilling season in which we’ve seen some very exciting races and talented drivers in both championships. We've also been privileged to enjoy another perfect collaboration with the series promoters, who once more have done a brilliant job this year.”

NEXT RACES Formula 2 will resume at the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix Prix from April 7-8, with GP3 to restart at the Spanish Grand Prix from May 12-13 – although there is a busy schedule of testing planned before then: including sessions at Abu Dhabi this week.

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required). Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

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

On Sunday morning, rain made the six-kilometre track extremely slippery. Although it stopped raining shortly before the race, the decision was taken to start the 14-car field behind a safety car, following 10 extra minutes of reconnaissance laps in the mixed conditions. They used this time to sample the Pirelli Cinturato WH tyre as well, for the very first time at Macau.

Despite the lack of grip from the track, Mortara – along with the rest of the field – chose to take the start on Pirelli’s P Zero DHD slick tyres, feeling that the warm-up and adhesion were sufficient for the 18-lap race.

The Italian maintained his advantage from start to finish, despite two safety car periods that eradicated his lead and meant that he had to ‘switch on’ his tyres once more at every restart.

The top three cars were covered by less than a second and a half at the finish, with the Audi R8 of Robin Frijns in second challenging hard. One of the most remarkable performances was from the BMW M6 of Augusto Farfus, who fought his way back up to fourth despite having to pit to repair a damaged bootlid.

In total, seven different manufacturers were represented in the highest-quality field yet seen at the FIA GT World Cup, using the same Pirelli tyres as have been seen on the Blancpain GT Series this year.

Matteo Braga, circuit technical manager, said: “The drivers benefitted from a well-known and adaptable P Zero product that allowed them to approach one of the most complex races seen in recent Macau history with confidence, despite the mixed conditions. Frijns, for example, was extremely competitive all weekend even though this was only his first visit to Macau, having used the P Zero DHD throughout this year’s Blancpain GT season. The same applies to Farfus, who made a series of strong overtaking manoeuvres on the damp parts of the track off-line on slick tyres, making it three different manufacturers in the top four.”

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For more information about Pirelli in Macau, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Some of the greatest drivers in motorsport have hailed the Guia circuit as the most challenging and unpredictable venue of the season. Proving the point, the winning car last year actually ended its race on its roof after a spectacular accident.

Macau has been compared to Monaco as well, but how does it stack up against the most famous street race in the world? Pirelli spoke to a man who knows both by heart to find out: Lucas di Grassi.

The 33-year-old has raced at Monaco in Formula E, Formula 3, GP2 and Formula 1: he was also Pirelli’s Formula 1 test driver as the Italian company prepared to enter grand prix racing seven years ago. He’s experienced when it comes to Macau as well, having claimed a podium on his debut at the track in F3 in 2003 and won overall in 2006. This year, he’s back driving an Audi R8 LMS in the FIA GT World Cup.

Which is more challenging, Macau or Monaco?

LdG: “This is more challenging than Monaco. Or at least, it’s a different challenge. Macau is a cross between Monaco and Spa, because here you have very, very high speeds but you also have the walls. There are no arguments about track limits - the track limits are the walls! It’s the most difficult track in the world as it’s about the same length as Spa but with the difficulty of Monaco, and with overtaking points. So, it tests everything.”

What’s the competition going to be like this weekend?

LdG: “The grid this year is the highest quality grid I think there has ever been in Macau, with all the drivers pretty much professionals, all factory drivers, so it’s going to be really, really tough for anyone to try to win here. It’s a great title and a great honour to be here at the FIA GT World Cup.”

What’s the biggest challenge here?

LdG: “From the driving point of view it’s the fast corners. From a technical point of view, the set-up is very difficult. It’s like Spa in a way. If you put on downforce, you go quick in the second sector but slow in sectors one and three. Here it’s the same. If you put downforce on, you’re quick in the mountain section but on the straights, you are not quick. You need to find a good balance between a low downforce car that’s quick on the straights while at the same time making sure that you can drive it on the limit without too much risk in the mountains.”

How does it feel behind the wheel in Macau?

LdG: “Unbelievable. It’s a brilliant rush, and such great fun. Old-fashioned in a way, but for me, the best circuit in the world.”

Please see below for our downloadable and shareable infographic comparing Monaco to Macau.

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For more information about Pirelli in Macau, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

The Macau race meeting, established in 1954, is one of the most spectacular venues on the international motorsport calendar, cutting through the middle of the city before twisting through the hills that overlook the harbour.

This year there are some important changes to enhance the prestige status of this unique event, with new rules that admit only manufacturer-supported cars and professional drivers (gold and platinum standard). Macau is also the final destination of the year in a high-speed tour that has put Pirelli at the forefront of the international GT racing scene.

While the Blancpain GT Series may be over for this year, the most successful drivers are eligible for the FIA GT World Cup in Macau. There are 20 cars and seven manufacturers this year, with eight former winners on the grid. It’s the most prestigious GT driver line-up ever seen at Macau, with top stars such as Edoardo Mortara, Laurens Vanthoor, Lucas di Grassi, Maro Engel and Augusto Farfus: all factory drivers.

Here are some of the highlights and numbers from the 2017 season so far…

A new tyre for 2017 At the start of 2017 Pirelli introduced a brand-new tyre for GT championships all over the world: the P Zero DHD. The P Zero DHD was designed to work with all the manufacturers on the grid to deliver performance and consistency in a wide variety of conditions. This is also the tyre that Pirelli successfully proposed to the FIA for use in Macau.

Expanding in Asia Pirelli’s Asian presence in the GT world grew significantly, thanks to agreements with the Blancpain GT Series Asia, China GT Championship and the Suzuka 10 Hours, as well as accompanying series such as the Audi R8 LMS Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Ferrari Challenge. This underlines the importance of the region to Pirelli in global motorsport, with Macau as the jewel in the crown.

And some more numbers…. With 20 cars each permitted up to five sets of slicks and three sets of rain tyres, up to 640 tyres will be supplied for the event. In contrast to most GT races, there are no tyre changes or driver changes planned.

The P Zero DHD has been deployed in a number of different race formats in the Blancpain GT Series, from the one-hour Sprint Cup races to the Endurance Cup races lasting three hours, as well as the Spa 24 Hours. In Macau, the same product has to adapt to different types of tarmac with differing grip levels. Also, as the track is opened to the public during the night, the surface is always slippery, making it extra important to be able to generate grip with tyres and setup.

As well as Formula 1, Pirelli supplies around 350 other motorsport championships worldwide on both two and four wheels, taking in more than 2000 races per year.

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For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Only manufacturer-supported cars and professional drivers (gold and platinum standard) will be admitted to the FIA GT World Cup this year, ensuring the highest level of competition. Pirelli will also award the ‘Speed Hero’ prize for the first time, to the driver who sets pole position.

Competitors will race on the same P Zero tyre used in the many GT championships to which Pirelli is sole tyre supplier all around the world.

Last year’s race made history when the eventual winner, Laurens Vanthoor, was classified first despite ending the race on his Audi’s roof. He returns this year with Porsche, while 2017 Blancpain GT champions Mirko Bortolotti and Robin Frijns line up with Lamborghini and Audi respectively.

A number of other previous winners in Macau will take part, including Edoardo Mortara, Daniel Juncadella and Maro Engel with Mercedes, Lucas di Grassi in an Audi and Felix Rosenqvist in a Ferrari. BMW is also represented, as is Honda with its new NSX GT3.

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola commented: “Having supplied one of the highlights of the GT calendar since the very start – an event that is truly worthy of the name ‘World Cup’ – we’re delighted to return to the iconic Macau circuit, reinforcing our growing presence in the Asia Pacific region. With Macau being a street circuit, a relatively unusual type of track for GT cars to race on, this again highlights the close links between our ultra high performance road and track products; both created for the same base models of car.”

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For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on anthony@mediaticaworld.com or +44 7765 896 930

The teams will all use Pirelli’s latest P Zero DHD tyres, as seen on the main Blancpain GT Series that recently concluded in Barcelona. These tyres are designed to perform strongly on a wide variety of different cars and circuits; in order to be equally effective in China in October as they are at Monza in April.

The manufacturers using them in the different GT championships all over the world also choose Pirelli P Zero tyres as original equipment for their high-performance road cars, underlining the technology transfer between road and track. With China being one of the most rapidly-expanding markets in the premium and prestige sectors, it is clearly of paramount importance to Pirelli, the world leader in top of the range tyres.

As well as the world’s top car manufacturers, the Blancpain GT Series Asia also attracts some of the top drivers in GT racing, such as 2016 Blancpain GT champion Maxi Buhk, who will be driving a GruppeM Mercedes GT3 this weekend.

Pirelli racing activity manager Matteo Braga said: “The fact that China is investing so heavily in new tracks such as Zheijang underlines the phenomenal growth in motorsport throughout the region, with Pirelli increasing its commitment accordingly. As GT racing is the closest form of competition to supercars seen on the road, it’s a perfect fit for us here.”

Underlining Pirelli’s presence will be an activation area and fan engagement zone for the first time in this championship, featuring a car display, DJ area, and video games.

In a change to the normal schedule, qualifying took place on Friday afternoon before the opening race on Saturday at 14:00 (local time). The final race of the season begins on Sunday at 10:50.

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For more information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on
+44 7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Feature Race, the winner: With his eighth victory of the season, Prema’s Charles Leclerc won the Feature Race to clinch the inaugural Formula 2 title of the modern era. Leclerc had built up a lead of more than 10 seconds from pole by the time he stopped to change from soft to the used medium tyres he had run in the early part of qualifying. After his stop, he emerged in the midfield and then set about passing the drivers who had started on the medium, before having to defend his lead when the Safety Car emerged close to the end of the race.

Charles Leclerc: “On the soft tyres we were very, very quick, but then we were struggling more on the medium. When I saw the Safety Car come out, I thought ‘OK, it’s going to get a lot harder now!’ but actually we managed to stay in front. In Formula 2, it’s clear that tyre management is a big part of the championship.”

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Prema driver Antonio Fuoco finished on the podium after starting 15th on the grid using the medium compound for his first stint. Following Leclerc’s pit stop, Fuoco took over the lead before moving to the faster soft for the final stint. His alternative strategy very nearly worked, assisted also by a late Safety Car that erased Leclerc’s advantage. In the end, Fuoco finished third: just under a second behind the winner.

Sprint Race, the winner: Tyre strategy was again a hallmark of the sprint race, with Leclerc and Fuoco opting to pit for soft tyres at just over the halfway point, to benefit from the extra speed of this compound. For a long time, it looked like this innovative tactics would work, before they began to slip out of contention at the very end: finishing seventh and fifth respectively. Russian time’s Artem Markelov won after taking the lead on lap 23, having run the medium tyres from start to finish.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Nirei Fukuzumi led an ART one-two-three from pole, winning ahead of his team mates George Russell and Jack Aitken. Their intense battle allowed Fukuzumi to pull clear, claiming his second win of the season. The whole field ran on hard tyres, with very low levels of wear and degradation.

Sprint Race, the winner: Russell finished fifth to clinch the title at the end of the 17-lap race, while Jenzer’s Alessio Lorandi took his debut victory, leading from start to finish. The hard tyres allowed all the drivers to push to the maximum, despite the warm temperatures in Spain.

PIRELLI QUOTE

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “An exciting weekend in Jerez, with some tense races in both Formula 2 and GP3, crowned two very deserving champions. Both have won many races this year, and it’s no co-incidence that they have already been recruited as juniors by the top two teams in Formula 1. Tyre strategy was at the heart of both races in Formula 2 this weekend, with Leclerc and Fuoco opting for a radical strategy in the sprint race that came within one lap of working extremely well. As Leclerc says, managing the tyres properly is an essential part of Formula 2. In GP3, the hard tyre on the recently-resurfaced Jerez track proved to be extremely durable, with not so much tyre management needed on this occasion.”

NEXT RACES

Formula 2 and GP3 will resume for the final round in Abu Dhabi from November 24-26, back alongside Formula 1 after the one-off stand-alone race in Jerez.

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required). Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Grasser also took the overall teams’ title, although the Endurance Cup teams’ prize went to Bentley Team M-Sport – consolation for missing out on the drivers’ crown with Vincent Abril, Maxime Soulet and Andy Soucek. Strategy helped the #88 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3 to win the Barcelona race, after local driver Daniel Juncadella used a longer first stint on the Pirelli P Zero DHD tyres to move into the lead after starting fourth. Team-mates Felix Serralles and Tristian Vautier then stayed out front ahead of the #17 Team WRT Audi of Stuart Leonard, Jake Dennis and Robin Frijns that started on pole position, with only 0.719 seconds between the two cars at the end of three hours of racing.  

Quotes: Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “Despite the characteristics of the Barcelona circuit, which is very demanding in terms of tyre consistency, we saw a close battle throughout the race with different brands fighting for the lead. The top five cars were still fighting for their positions and extracting performance from their tyres until the last lap. The conditions have been mixed this weekend, and the start of the race was tricky for the drivers on slicks on a damp track, but there were very few incidents, proving the adaptability of our product. Congratulations to the champions in all the classes and to everybody who has helped deliver such a good show this season.” Andrea Caldarelli (GRT Grasser Racing Team, #63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3): “We did a great season: we didn’t do many mistakes and this is the result. I feel really happy and proud of what we have done. I only joined the team in March and I never raced in GT3 before. I really enjoyed my stint: at the beginning, the fight with the others was really nice and after that I was just trying to keep third position. We didn’t feel big degradation from the tyres and they were quite consistent through the whole stint.” Fact of the day: Grasser’s titles are the first outright Blancpain GT Series championships achieved by Lamborghini. The famous Italian supercar maker has a relationship with Pirelli that dates back to 1963, when Ferruccio Lamborghini asked Pirelli to equip the first vehicle produced by his company. Today, Pirelli equips all new Lamborghini models, including the Huracan. Number of the day: 6309. The number of kilometres of racing completed by the championship-winning #63 GRT Grasser Racing Team entry across the Blancpain GT Series season.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

After a warm and sunny start to the event, rain began to fall just before pre-qualifying got underway, bringing the Cinturato WH rain tyre into action. With conditions worsening it was crucial to set a good time early in the session, when Vanthoor posted a 1m58.369s.

The Herberth Motorsport Porsche 991 GT3 R was only 0.061 seconds behind in second place thanks to Robert Renauer, and Felix Serralles was third in one of the AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3s. The same team occupied the top three places in the dry free practice session this morning.

Two other championships are in action on Pirelli tyres at Barcelona. In the Blancpain GT Sports Car Club, Anthony Pons claimed victory in the qualifying race in his Mercedes-AMG GT3. In the GT4 European Series Southern Cup, the new BMW M4 GT4 won the opening race of the weekend in the hands of Beitske Visser and Dennis Marschall. Quotes:
Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “It has not been a very representative day, because we had one practice session in dry conditions where the teams were using tyres carried over from previous rounds, and then the pre-qualifying was held in wet conditions. So it was not ideal preparation for the endurance race but it may be useful for qualifying tomorrow morning, where the forecast is still for a chance of rain.”

Dries Vanthoor (Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, #5 Audi R8 LMS): “It was tricky conditions at the start of pre-qualifying. We were on the rain tyre and the first sector was not as damp as the last sector, but it felt really good on my fastest lap. The track was slippery so we had to watch out. It’s difficult to learn much from this session but at least it seems like we’re going well in the rain as well.” Fact of the day: More than 20 of the Blancpain GT Series drivers began the weekend’s competition early when they took on the Scalextric course at the Pirelli activation area in the paddock this afternoon. The drivers raced against each other with the aim of posting the fastest lap: the winner will be announced on Sunday.

Number of the day: 111. The number of cars competing on Pirelli tyres at Barcelona this weekend across the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, Blancpain GT Sports Club and GT4 European Series Southern Cup.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com
(Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Pirelli will also be sole tyre supplier for the GT4 European Series and Blancpain GT Sports Club, which run during the same weekend.

What's the circuit like?
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya measures 4.727 kilometres, with 14 corners and a long straight making it an all-rounder circuit. With many fast turns and an abrasive surface, it is a demanding track on tyres. The lap record of 1:21.670 was set by Kimi Raikkonen in 2008 with Ferrari in Formula 1.

Which tyres is Pirelli bringing?
Pirelli will bring its P Zero DHD tyre for the provisional Blancpain GT grid of 51 cars and Blancpain GT Sports Club grid of 26 cars. The GT4 European Cup will use the P Zero DH slick tyre. Temperatures are expected to be high and rain isn’t anticipated at the moment, but in case of wet weather all the championships will use Pirelli’s Cinturato WH tyre.

What are the most likely race strategies?
Qualifying and the main race for the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup both take place on Sunday 1 October. There are three sessions of 15 minutes for qualifying and the race lasts three hours. During the race teams will pit two times to change driver and tyres. The length of the pit stop is regulated so it is important for teams to plan when to stop to maintain track position.

Quote:
Matteo Braga, circuit activity manager: “This is the first time that the endurance format has run at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as last year was a sprint race. Tyres will be subject to a high level of stress as Barcelona is quite aggressive on tyres due to the long corners. Teams will have to work to find the right balance between performance and consistency while ensuring that they have a good strategy. ”

Timings: Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup free practice takes place at 09.00 on Saturday 30 September followed by pre-qualifying at 16.40. Qualifying is on Sunday 1 October at 09.00 with the main race at 15.00.

Blancpain GT Sports Club free practice one is on Friday 29 September at 17.30 with free practice two on Saturday 30 September at 11.30. Qualifying is at 13.35 followed by the qualifying race at 15.15. The 40-minute main race is on Sunday 1 October at 12.00.

GT4 European Series free practice sessions are on Friday 29 September at 10.30 and 12.40 followed by qualifying practice at 16.40. On Saturday 30 September at 12.25 is race one, race two is on Sunday 1 October at 13.05.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com
(Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

The race winning duo of Leonard and Frijns utilised the P Zero DHD tyre to perfection, timing their pit stop to ensure they gained the maximum advantage and crossing the finish line with a lead of 3.967s over the #2 Audi of Will Stevens and Markus Winkelhock. The race weekend was characterised by cold conditions and track temperatures in the region of 17 degrees centigrade.

The final round of the Blancpain GT Series will take place in Barcelona on 1 October as an Endurance Cup race, so there will be more titles up for grabs – including the Endurance Cup winners and overall series winners. Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is in the running for these titles as well, alongside HTP Motorsport, GRT Grasser Racing team and Bentley Team M-Sport.

Quote:

Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “The Nürburgring is a particularly tough circuit for car, driver and tyres but the Pirelli P Zero DHD once again showed a high level of performance and consistency. The Sprint series is not only about speed, and races like this highlight the importance of strategy and deep knowledge of the product, both car and tyres. Congratulations to Belgian Audi Club Team WRT on the team title and Robin Frijns and Stuart Leonard on race victory and taking the drivers title.”

Fact of the day: This is the 11th Blancpain title for Audi, with nine of those on Pirelli tyres. Pirelli has also supplied the R8 road car since it was launched in 2006. The Pirelli P Zero and P Zero Corsa System are homologated for the summer and the Winter Sottozero II for winter.

Number of the day: 159.1 kph. The average speed of the winning car over the 5.137 kilometres and 30 laps of the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, last used for Germany’s Formula 1 race in 2013.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

What's the circuit like? The Nürburgring grand prix circuit, right next to the ‘Green Hell’ of the Nordschleife, measures 5.148 kilometres with a total of 15 corners. Having hosted the German Grand Prix in the past, it provides a considerable challenge. With its own microclimate one part of the track could be wet while the other part dry making tyre choice for the teams particularly difficult.

Which tyres is Pirelli bringing? Pirelli will bring its P Zero DHD tyre for the provisional Blancpain GT grid of 35 cars and its dedicated P Zero DH slick for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo and GT4 European Series Northern Cup grids. Weather is unpredictable at the Nürburgring and rain isn’t unusual. If the track is wet, both championships will use the WH tyre, with a sculpted tread pattern to disperse water.

What are the most likely race strategies? There are two races over the weekend, one qualifying race and one main race, lasting just one hour each. During the race teams must change driver and tyres during a specific pit stop window. Depending on the weather there could be more than just one pit stop if teams need to change from slicks to wets or vice a versa.

Quote: Matteo Braga, circuit activity manager: “It should be an exciting weekend of racing with the title up for grabs between quite a few drivers and teams. I’m sure they’ll all be pushing hard, forming a thrilling conclusion to an unpredictable championship. The Nürburgring is a tough circuit and weather can play a major part as it’s often hard to forecast, especially at this time of year: we’ve even seen a hail storm stop the 24-hour race in the past.”

Timings: Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup free practice takes place at 09.40 and 14.10 on Friday 15 September. The qualifying practice is at 09.40 on Saturday 16 September followed by the qualifying race at 14.00. The main race is on Sunday 17 September at 15.30 after a warm up session at 09.15.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo free practice sessions are on Friday 15 September at 11.10 and 15.40. Qualifying practice is at 10.45 followed by race one at 15.40. Race two is on Sunday 17 September at 13.55.

GT4 European Series Northern Cup free practice sessions are on Friday 15 September at 12.20 and 16.50. On Saturday 16 September at 11.45 is qualifying practice followed by race one at 16.55. Race two is on Sunday 17 September at 11.00.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

At its home rounds, Pirelli will supply the P Zero White medium tyre and P Zero Yellow soft tyre for Formula 2, with the soft nominated as the sole compound for GP3.

Pirelli will also host the launch of the new for 2018 Formula 2 car, which will take place in the Formula 1 paddock at Monza at 13:15 on Thursday.

Pirelli’s head of car racing says:

Mario Isola: “The Monza weekend is one we always look forward to at Pirelli, and that includes the Formula 2 and GP3 races, which are often action-packed thanks to the good overtaking opportunities the circuit provides. With equal opportunities from the cars, driving talent comes to the forefront. As track position can be less important than at other circuits, there will be good strategic opportunities for the F2 teams to take advantage of in the feature race. In GP3, we often see that race pace – and the ability to preserve the performance of the tyres – is more important to a strong result than qualifying speed. Another event we’re looking forward to is the launch of the new Formula 2 car for 2018 and beyond: we’re privileged to host this important event in our Formula 1 fitting area on Thursday.”

The challenge for the tyres:

Monza’s long straights make it the fastest circuit on the calendar, and teams set the cars up with low-downforce configurations in order to maximise top speeds. This means that through the corners, the drivers rely more on the mechanical grip from the tyres than the aerodynamic grip.

The long straights are punctuated by chicanes, where heavy braking and traction mean longitudinal forces are applied to the tyres. There are also sustained lateral forces through the long Curva Grande and Parabolica corners.

The tyres are also tested by the many impacts every lap with the kerbs around the Monza layout, particularly in the chicanes.

Warm weather is likely over the course of the weekend, especially with Italy emerging from a particularly hot summer. This will increase the demands on the tyres further.

The race and the rules:

Formula 2 Every car will have five sets of dry tyres and three sets of wet weather tyres available for the Formula 2 race weekend. The five sets of dry tyres comprise three sets of the medium compound and two sets of the soft compound.

The drivers can use their tyre allocation in any way they like, but at least one set of each compound must be used in the feature race (unless it is a wet race). One set of the harder compound must be returned after free practice.

Qualifying takes place at 16:20 on Friday, after practice at 11:55. The feature race on Saturday at 16:00 lasts 30 laps and each driver must complete one compulsory pit stop. This cannot take place within the first six laps. Unlike Formula 1, the drivers do not have to start the race using the tyres they qualified on.

The grid for the sprint race on Sunday at 10:15 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed. It is run over 21 laps, with no compulsory pit stops.

GP3 Every car will have three sets of dry tyres and two sets of wet weather tyres available for the GP3 race weekend. Only one compound is nominated: soft for this weekend. The drivers can use the tyre allocation in any way they like.

Drivers are allowed to carry over one tyre set from the previous round for use in free practice only. This will be the medium compound from Spa.

Qualifying takes place at 09:45 on Saturday after a single free practice session on Friday at 18:15. Race 1 starts at 17:50 on Saturday and lasts for 22 laps, followed by Race Two at 09:00 on Sunday (lasting 17 laps). The grid for Race 2 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed.

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Feature Race, the winner: Charles Leclerc was a dominant winner on the road, starting on the P Zero Yellow soft tyre before switching to the White medium on lap 10. However, the Prema-run Ferrari junior was subsequently excluded post-race, although he maintains his championship lead. The exclusion handed victory to Artem Markelov (Russian Time).

Feature Race, alternative strategy: Starting ninth on the grid, Markelov deployed the alternative strategy to Leclerc and most of the other frontrunners, beginning the race on the medium tyre and pitting for the soft on lap 15. He rejoined the race in sixth place but used the superior performance of the soft to charge towards the front, making a final corner pass on Oliver Rowland (DAMS), who was excluded for the same infringement as championship rival Leclerc.

Sprint Race, the winner: Sergio Sette Camara shot from third on the grid at the start to win the Sprint Race, with all the drivers on the medium tyre and no mandatory pitstops. After his great start, the Brazilian rookie (MP Motorsport) managed his tyres well for his maiden win. Leclerc finished fifth from 19th on the grid.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Mercedes junior George Russell won the opening race after starting on pole position, with all drivers on the medium tyre. His ART team-mate and Honda protege Nirei Fukuzumi slipstreamed into the lead on the first lap, but Russell was able to reply without compromising his tyres. Another ART driver, the Renault Sport Academy’s Jack Aitken, finished second after a late battle with Fukuzumi.

Sprint Race, the winner: Giuliano Alesi scored his third consecutive Sunday win from second on the reversed grid. Russell had another strong drive to finish in second place from eighth on the grid and increase his championship advantage.

Pirelli quote

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “In Formula 2 we saw a dominant performance on the road from Leclerc, who was able to maintain a very high pace despite the need to manage the tyres on a circuit that places many demands on them. Markelov made the alternative strategy work in a thrilling finish against Rowland, and was ultimately rewarded with the win. Tyre management was also a factor in GP3, with Russell preserving his rubber well for two strong results, on the longest circuit on the calendar.”

Next races

Formula 2 and GP3 move straight on to another famous circuit next weekend: the high-speed Monza in Italy.

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The Blancpain GT Sports Car Club title was also assigned at the Hungaroring, with Anthony Pons claiming the honours in his Mercedes, with one round still left to go.

Quotes:

Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager):“As is often the case during this time of year at the Hungaroring, temperatures were extremely hot all weekend. Despite these demanding conditions, the P Zero DHD tyres worked perfectly, delivering maximum performance throughout their stint. The Hungaroring is a track that works tyres hard, as the cars are constantly cornering, with only one real straight. This also means that opportunities for overtaking are limited, so success in the qualifying race was a key to winning the main race, along with a perfectly executed pit stop strategy. The winning Audi managed to achieve that, but the race was still extremely close, with the consistency of the lap times among all the manufacturers underlining how well the balance of performance, along with the tyres, are working.”

Marcel Fassler (Number 3 Audi R8 LMS):“When I joined the series, there was a lot for me to learn – including the tyres – but I think this shows the progress that we are making now. There are some very good drivers here and I feel that we’re closing in on the frontrunners. It’s not been the easiest year for us up until this weekend, so I’m absolutely delighted with the result: a big thanks to everyone.”

Fact of the day:The 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring, located close to Budapest, was the very first race circuit to be built specifically for Formula 1 behind what was formerly the Iron Curtain, in 1986. Since then, it’s been on the F1 calendar every year. It joined the Blancpain GT Series schedule last year, when the race was won by Mercedes.

Number of the day:Three. This is the number of times that 41-year-old Marcel Fassler from Switzerland, today’s race winner, has won the famous Le Mans 24 Hours: in 2011, 2012, and 2014. On each occasion, it was with Audi. However, today was his first win in a Blancpain race: his previous best result was fourth in Zolder, Belgium.

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Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com(Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Pirelli is the market leader in global GT racing, thanks to its association with the world’s most prestigious car brands – most of whom choose Pirelli as originally equipment – and premier championships such as the Blancpain GT Series, where the Italian firm is sole supplier.

The Suzuka 10 Hours will become the Asian round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, which already visits legendary venues such as Bathurst in Australia and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, as well as the United States and Malaysia.

This ground-breaking race will take over from the long-established Suzuka 1000 kilometres: the biggest GT race in Japan that regularly attracts crowds of 80,000 people. The race will be supported by all the top European car manufacturers as well as a contingent of Japanese manufacturers, with Honda, Nissan and Toyota expected to be represented.

Pirelli won the contract to supply the race against several key competitors thanks to its experience of top-level GT competition, which allows the full range of competitors with varying vehicle architectures to maximise their potential, and the proven speed, reliability and consistency of the P Zero product. The current agreement is for two years from 2018 to 2019.

Pirelli’s Motorsport Business Director Ernesto Garcia Domingo commented: “We’re delighted to partner with this pioneering and exclusive race, which enriches our GT offering even further: reaching out to more territories, fans and manufacturers. The expertise that we have accumulated through supplying the world’s top GT championships and prestige car manufacturers over many years puts us in a perfect position to contribute towards a fantastic spectacle on one of the most thrilling circuits in all of motorsport.”

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For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

What's the circuit like? The Hungaroring in Budpest, Hungary is 4.381 kilometres long, with 14 corners. It has been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1986 and is famed for being difficult to overtake on, which makes qualifying so important. The layout is tight and twisty, and ambient temperatures can also be very hot. The track was resurfaced last year, which has made the asphalt less bumpy and also faster than before.

Which tyres is Pirelli bringing? Pirelli will bring its P Zero DHD tyre for the provisional Blancpain GT grid of 32 cars and Blancpain GT Sports Club grid of 17 cars. The WH tyre will be used if conditions are wet: a comparatively rare occurrence. This tyre has been designed to work effectively for all the cars on the grid and at this round eight manufacturers are represented.

What are the most likely race strategies? There are two races over the weekend, one qualifying and one main, lasting just one hour each. During the race teams must change driver and tyres during a specific pit stop window.

Quote: Matteo Braga, circuit activity manager: “As a sprint race the pitstop is crucial and the teams will need to adjust their approach from their last race, the 24 Hours of Spa. They will need to go flat out for the entire race so the tyres will run at full speed for a shorter mileage. This weekend the Blancpain GT races support the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, which means the track will offer a variable grip level depending on the actions of the truck sessions.”

Timings: Two Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup free practice sessions took place today and qualifying is tomorrow (Saturday 26 August) at 09.40 followed by the qualifying race at 15.50. The main race is on Sunday 27 August at 14.20.

Blancpain GT Sports Club action gets underway tomorrow (Saturday 26 August) with free practice one at 10.45 and free practice two at 12.05. Qualifying also takes place on Saturday at 14.45 followed by the qualifying race at 18.15. The main race will run on Sunday 27 August at 10.45.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Quotes: Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “Spa is well-known as one of the toughest circuits in the world, providing a huge test for drivers, cars and of course tyres. This year was absolutely no exception, with sunshine and rain during the 24 Hours. We were pleased to see that all 10 manufacturers represented found the perfect balance of performance and consistency from our product and delivered a very competitive fight where the lead changed throughout the entire race, making it a massively exciting event for the many spectators. If you have a product that performs well in Spa, you have a tyre that will perform anywhere. For Pirelli, Spa is not only a challenge for the product, but also for our team who provide the best support to our customers in the Blancpain GT Series. I would like to thank and congratulate the entire Pirelli team for their hard work, staying focussed for so many hours throughout this epic race.” Markus Winkelhock (first place #25, Audi Sport Team Sainteloc, Audi R8 LMS): “Everything went well with the tyres over the 24 hours and that speaks for itself, so from that point of view we were absolutely happy with the performance.” Andy Soucek (second place #8, Bentley Team M-Sport, Bentley Continental GT3): “The tyres felt really consistent throughout my stints, it all went smoothly so I’m happy. It’s such a long race and if you have a problem with the tyre it can be the end, so that’s one of the most important things. I drove in both the wet and dry, and the wet tyre felt really good with our car. I felt quite a lot of grip and confident to push and I was lapping I think the fastest at that time.”

Fact of the day: This is the 69th edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa, and the fourth time that Audi has won. Pirelli uses the lessons learned in motorsport to develop road tyres and the brand is currently homologated for a number of Audi models including the R8, A6, RS3 and A3. Numbers of the day: 546. The number of laps completed by each team in the top six. 11.862s. The gap between first and second place. 2,000. The approximate number of people who visited the Pirelli activation area at Spa and enjoyed all it had to offer, including a giant Scalextric set, and driving simulators that allowed fans to truly feel like they were driving the famous Spa circuit. 40. The number of hours of continuous work by Pirelli.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Feature Race, the winner: Renault Junior driver Oliver Rowland (DAMS) won, starting on the faster P Zero Yellow soft tyre and then switching to the medium on lap 11. His closest rival, Artem Markelov (Russian Time) adopted a similar strategy and tried to pass Rowland with three laps to go, having conserved his tyres, before going off and retiring.
Feature Race, alternative strategy: The opposite strategy was adopted by Ferrari Junior Charles Leclerc, who was dropped to the back of the grid for a technical infringement after qualifying on pole. The Prema driver did a long first stint on the medium to go from last all the way to first. He then switched to the faster soft on lap 21, emerging 11th, and fought his way back to fourth by the finish, maintaining his grip on the championship.

Sprint Race, the winner: The winner of the Sprint Race, with the entire field running on the P Zero White medium (and no obligatory pit stops) was Honda junior driver Nobuharo Matushita, who stormed into the lead from the second row of the grid and never lost the advantage. With track temperatures over 50 degrees centigrade, he managed thermal degradation perfectly to take a comfortable win.

GP3

Feature Race, the winner: Another Renault Junior, Jack Aitken, won the race on Saturday afternoon from pole, which was held in cooler conditions at 17:30. Aitken headed an ART Grand Prix one-two-three, with all the drivers on the medium tyre. The race was interrupted by a safety car and a virtual safety car, with Aitken now moving up to second in the championship behind George Russell (ART) who was unable to take the start.
Sprint Race, the winner: After ART Grand Prix locked out the podium on Saturday, Trident took the top four spots in the Sprint Race on Sunday morning, with Giuliano Alesi – the winner last time out at Silverstone – leading his team mates home. There were three punctures and two broken rims during the race, caused by external contacts.

Pirelli quote

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “In Formula 2, drivers had to cope with high track temperatures that made tyre management a priority, especially in the Sprint Race with no mandatory pit stops. Leclerc’s race, meanwhile, showed just what can be achieved using strategy even when starting last. Thermal degradation was high on the Formula 2 soft compound, while the medium was more consistent, which was exactly the target for this series. Degradation was less in GP3, but we also had safety cars, both real and virtual, that increased tyre life.”

Next races Formula 2 and GP3 will head next to the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium from August 25-27.

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required).Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

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

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required). Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required).
Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

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

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For the second year running, incidents and safety cars characterised an action-packed weekend around the tight confines of the Baku City Circuit, with the 29-lap Feature Race ending four laps from the scheduled finish under a red flag. The clear majority of competitors chose to begin the race on the P Zero Red supersoft tyres, which had been nominated together with the P Zero White medium. Three drivers towards the back of the field chose to start on the slower but more durable mediums. Ferrari protégé Charles Leclerc led from pole and switched from the supersoft to the medium on lap seven, with all the supersoft starters making their pit stop shortly after the window opened on lap six. The top seven finishers all followed the same strategy as Leclerc. The highest- placed driver to start on the medium was Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung, who eventually finished eighth and claimed reverse grid pole for Sunday’s race.

Boschung and Ghiotto began on the P Zero White medium tyres	Nato won the second race on P Zero White medium tyres

All the drivers chose the medium tyre for the 21-lap Sprint Race, where track temperatures again exceeded 50 degrees centigrade, making tyre management important. Starting from eighth, Leclerc crossed the line first after working his way up through the field. However, the championship leader was demoted to second with a 10-second penalty, meaning that Arden’s Norman Nato was the race winner. Quotes: Head of car racing Mario Isola said: “With high track temperatures and a performance gap between supersoft and medium, a supersoft-medium strategy with an early stop was the obvious solution in the Feature Race for those who had qualified well. But due to the high possibility of safety cars, something different was an option for those with less to lose. In the end, the Safety Car didn’t have a big effect on the strategy, but we certainly saw an entertaining race.” Charles Leclerc, the Formula 2 Feature race winner, added: “I wasn’t sure if my rivals were saving the tyres for the end or pushing, so I was trying to push as much as possible while managing my tyres as well. I was pushing a lot, but it went worked.” The next Formula 2 round takes place in Austria from July 8-9.

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The latest round of the Blancpain GT Series presented a busy itinerary with both qualifying and racing on Saturday. Qualifying was from 10:00-11:00, with Yelmer Buurman putting Mercedes-AMG Team Black Falcon on pole by just 0.031s, while the six-hour race took place between 18:00 and midnight. Qualifying was held in consistently warm conditions of over 30 degrees centigrade, while track and air temperatures progressively fell during the actual race, meaning that teams and drivers had to adjust to a changing circuit. After a race of attrition, the Bentley driven by Vincent Abril, Andy Soucek and Maxime Soulet triumphed, sealing the win at Paul Ricard after 170 laps. Quotes: Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “With five manufacturers in the top five places, this proved the versatility of the product, which not only worked well on a wide variety of cars but also in a wide variety of conditions, with track temperatures and grip fluctuating as night set in. The race was extremely tough but the tyres stood up extremely well to the challenge, with the closeness of the competition proved by the tiny margins in qualifying and the lead changing hands several times. This was also a great opportunity also for the teams to go through the different requirements of racing at night as well as during the day ahead of the Spa 24 Hours.” Maxime Soulet (Number 8 Bentley Continental GT3): “We really waited a long time for this. The car was unbelievable all weekend long; we had a good start and a clean race. They told me over the radio that the Black Falcon Mercedes could possibly double stint its tyres, so it was still a bit tense for a moment. The last five laps I was listening to everything, everybody was retiring and I was just thinking ‘not us’.” Fact of the day: Paul Ricard will return to host Formula 1 in 2018, which like the Blancpain GT Series is exclusively supplied by Pirelli. The race is now due to take place in less than year, with the French Grand Prix scheduled for June 24. Bentley, the winners at the Paul Ricard 1000 kilometres, has only ever finished second at the French Grand Prix, courtesy of Sir Henry Birkin back in 1930. Its track record at another famous French endurance race – Le Mans – is somewhat better, with six wins. Number of the day: Six. This year’s race was Pirelli’s sixth visit to Paul Ricard as part of the Blancpain series, with the first race there held in 2012. On that occasion, the winners were Audi, who would go on to become champions at the end of the year.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Which tyres is Pirelli bringing?

The qualifying race for the Blancpain GT Sports Club is on Sunday 25 June at 10.50 followed by the main race at 15.35.

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For further information please contact:

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)

Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com

Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Taking advantage of safety cars held the key to the Formula 2 Feature Race around the narrow streets of Monaco. The Formula 2 drivers had P Zero soft and supersoft tyres at their disposal, having to use both compounds during the Feature Race. Although overtaking is meant to be nearly impossible in Monaco, several drivers disproved that myth. However, the main way to gain track position was through strategy and making the correct opportunistic use of the safety car. There were two safety car periods in the Feature Race, during which most drivers made their compulsory pit stops. Prema’s race leader (from pole) Charles Leclerc stayed out during the first safety car period from lap eight, whereas ART’s Alexander Albon, who started on the front row alongside him, decided to gamble with an early stop. Leclerc eventually made his stop just before the second safety car, from lap 21, but what appeared to be a loose wheel was in fact the result of broken suspension, which eventually forced him into retirement. DAMS driver Oliver Rowland, who started from third on the grid, made his stop during the second safety car period: a tactic that proved extremely effective, as he was able to ‘jump’ Albon once all the stops were complete. A similar strategy was adopted by Russian Time’s Artem Markelov, which meant that he too went from fourth on the grid to second at the finish. The top four finishers all started on soft and then moved onto supersoft. The highest-placed driver to do the opposite strategy (by starting on supersoft and finishing on soft) was Russian Time’s Luca Ghiotto, ending up fifth from eighth on the grid. The 30-lap Sprint Race on Sunday was all about tyre management rather than strategy, as there were no compulsory stops. Nick De Vries, starting from second on the reverse grid, out-dragged his Rapax team mate Johnny Cecotto on pole and eventually claimed a clear win, despite having to manage some tyre degradation on a relatively warm track. Quotes: Head of car racing Mario Isola said: “The first safety car, early in the Feature Race, forced the leading drivers on softs to decide whether to stay out or make the change to supersofts early. For those starting on supersofts, it was an ideal situation, so they all made the change then. We saw a lot of variations on these strategies, influenced also by the appearance of the second safety car, which was the key tactical moment. There were still many takes on strategy, with some drivers managing the supersoft sufficiently well to run long stints, despite the degradation on this compound.” Oliver Rowland, Formula 2 Feature Race winner, added: “After I took the lead my engineer was telling me to manage the tyres a little bit, because we were not sure how long the supersofts would last. So, I was starting to manage a bit, then I noticed that Artem was coming quickly. I started to push again, and the gap kind of stayed the same. At the start I didn’t expect much, but safety cars can always cause anything around here!” The next Formula 2 round takes place in Azerbaijan from June 23-25, while GP3 resumes in Austria from July 8-9.

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required). Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

The FIA Formula 2 Championship drivers will race on the famous streets of Monaco this weekend in perhaps the most prestigious event of the season. Pirelli will provide them with the two softest available compounds in the F2 range: the P Zero Red supersoft and the P Zero Yellow soft, with the former to be deployed for the first time this season. These will offer the optimal grip and performance around the twisty and narrow circuit. Because of the tight confines of the track, qualifying is split into two sessions. Monaco’s own Charles Leclerc of the Ferrari Driver Academy leads the standings in his rookie season after stepping up from the GP3 Series, which is also supplied by Pirelli. Pirelli’s racing manager says: Mario Isola: “Just as in Formula 1, Monaco is probably the most prestigious race in the Formula 2 season. It is not a demanding circuit on the tyres, which is why we bring the two softest available compounds to give the drivers as much grip as possible. Extracting the best from the tyres in qualifying is important to a good weekend as overtaking is difficult, but we have also seen great strategy calls produce top results in Monaco.” The challenge for the tyres: Relatively lower speeds compared to other circuits means mechanical grip from the tyres is key to cornering quickly, rather than the aerodynamics of the cars. Wear and degradation are low, though. There is considerable track evolution over the event, with the public roads starting out very slippery but increasing in grip as more rubber is put down in each session. With F2 sessions taking place at different times of the day, the drivers will face varying conditions every time, making it difficult to gauge performance. Safety cars are a common occurrence in Monaco due to the likelihood of crashes and tight confines of the track. Strategy, and the timing of pit-stops in particular, can be crucial in these moments. The race and the rules: Every car will have five sets of dry tyres and three sets of wet weather tyres available for the F2 race weekend. The five sets of dry tyres comprise three sets of the soft compound and two sets of the supersoft compound. The drivers can use their tyre allocation in any way they like, but at least one set of each compound must be used in the feature race (unless it is a wet race). One set of the harder compound must be returned after free practice. Qualifying, in which the field is split into two groups in Monaco to ensure lap times aren’t unduly influenced by traffic, takes place at 16:15 on Thursday, after practice at 12:00. The Feature Race is on Friday at 11:30 before the circuit is opened back up to the public in the afternoon, and lasts 42 laps with each driver obliged to complete one compulsory pit stop. This cannot take place within the first six laps. Unlike Formula 1, the drivers do not have to start the race using the tyres they qualified on. The grid for the Sprint Race on Saturday at 16:10 is determined by the finishing order of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed. It is run over 30 laps, with no compulsory pit stops.

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Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea (registration required). Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • anthony@mediaticaworld.com

Pirelli supported the second round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup at Silverstone, supplying the latest P Zero DHD tyres, and it was GRT Grasser Racing who finished on top in an incredibly competitive race. Tyre strategy proved crucial for GRT Grasser Racing’s Lamborghini Huracan GT3 driven by Andrea Caldarelli, Christian Engelhart and Mirko Bortolotti who started the race from second spot on the grid. Out of their allocated four new sets, they used one for qualifying leaving three for the three-hour endurance race. The typically variable British weather was warm and dry, with 24 degrees of track temperature and 18 degrees ambient on average during the race. Pirelli also supplied tyres to the Blancpain Sports Club grid and Jon Minshaw of Barwell Motorsport took victory in the main race. This weekend also featured the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, again fully supplied by Pirelli with P Zero tyres specifically created for one of the world’s fastest one-make GT series. Imperiale Racing took top spot in race one and two. In total Pirelli supplied over 3,000 P Zero tyres to over 100 cars.

GRT Grasser Racing wins the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup at Silverstone	Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup podium

Quotes: Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “Qualifying started with a damp track which dried towards the end of the session, this meant teams saved new sets for the race. During the race we experienced unusual British weather, as it stayed dry and the teams focused on consistency and strategy, which was pivotal in GRT Grasser winning the race. The last stint between the Lamborghini and Mercedes showed good Balance of Performance for the different brands and the teams were able to get the best out of our product until the very last lap.” Chris Harris (BBC Top Gear presenter racing for Garage59 this weekend in a McLaren 650 S GT3): “The new Pirelli tyre is impressive, it gives you that two laps of superhero qualifying pace but the degradation is very very sensible. Yesterday I was running on tyres that had done 240 kilometers and the pace was good, I think Pirelli has done a great job developing a tyre for so many different platforms and types of cars, which is a real challenge.” Numbers of the day: 670 and 90,921. The number of minutes and the total number of kilometres Pirelli tyres were used on track this weekend at Silverstone.

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com
(Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)
Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com
Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

Andrea Caldarelli, Mirko Bortolotti and Christian Engelhart	Blancpain GT Endurance Cup race at Monza

Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “The tyres performed well from start to finish, even though the conditions weren’t easy: there was a lot of debris on the track due to various race incidents. Still, we had a very entertaining three hours of competition and the tyres enabled all the manufacturers to have a close battle all the way to the flag, which is our key objective.” Christian Engelhart (#63, GRT Grasser Racing Team, Lamborghini Huracan GT3): “For me it was the perfect stint, getting in the car in the lead and driving for one hour; managing the tyres to the end. I couldn’t feel any drop off on the tyre, it was very consistent over the whole race and it was easy to manage them.” Fact of the day: Tyre strategy was absolutely at the heart of the strategy for the winning Lamborghini today. The crew deliberately saved three new sets of tyres for the race, using only two sets for free practice and qualifying to ensure peak performance throughout all three race stints. Andrea Calderelli said: “In my view, that strategy helped us win the race. We sacrificed a bit in qualifying, but it meant that we had peak performance after each pit stop, when it counted, which really made the difference.”

Blancpain GT Endurance Cup race at Monza	Lamborghini Super Trofeo race two winner - Antonelli Motorsport with drivers Loris Spinelli and Mikael Grenier.

Number of the day: 32. The number of cars within one second of each other during qualifying today: a new Blancpain GT record.

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Lamborghini Super Trofeo race one podium	Luca Filippi

Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “Today the tyres were working well, with the top 26 cars, which featured eight manufacturers, within a second of each other in the free practice session this morning. In the afternoon session, we saw the drivers concentrating more on race pace and set-up, especially as the warm weather conditions reflected what we are likely to experience for tomorrow’s race.” Luca Filippi (Attempto Racing, car 66, Lamborghini Huracan GT3): “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GT championship anywhere in the world as competitive as this one, and where better to start than Monza? The level is extremely high, and from what we’ve seen so far it’s going to be very close in qualifying. However, with all the teams trying different things today, it’s very hard to predict how exactly tomorrow will pan out.” Fact of the day: Andy Soucek from Spain will feature on the Pirelli Facebook Live broadcast (Facebook.com/PirelliMotorsport) tomorrow following the start of the main race at 14.45. He is one of the modern day ‘Bentley Boys’ driving a Bentley Continental GT3 in the Blancpain Championship. But previously he has tested in Formula 1 with Williams and Virgin Racing.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo race one	SMP Racing’s Ferrari 488 GT3 secured the quickest lap in the Blancpain pre-qualifying session

Number of the day: 211. The number of drivers who will take to the track at Monza this weekend in both the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

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Pirelli will supply its latest P Zero at the opening round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup

Which tyres is Pirelli bringing? Pirelli will bring its P Zero DHD tyre for the provisional Blancpain GT grid of 53 cars, as well as the dedicated P Zero DH slick for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo. Although warm weather is expected throughout the weekend, both championships will have the WH tyre available in case of rain. What are the most likely race strategies? The Blancpain GT race is an endurance competition and lasts three hours, with two pit stops expected. Teams must change tyres and driver: the timing of these stops forms the basis of the strategy, enabling places to be gained through clever pit work. Quotes: Matteo Braga, circuit activity manager: “After the British GT race at Oulton Park and the Blancpain GT Asia race in Sepang, now it’s time for Monza. The teams will be using our P Zero DHD tyre, which made its Blancpain debut at Misano a couple of weeks ago and of course is used in a variety of other GT3 championships as well. We’ve experienced the wet conditions of the UK, as well as the extreme heat in Malaysia, but now Monza provides another very different challenge: a high-speed circuit with long straights. We are expecting good weather, which will give the teams an opportunity to work with the new tyre and refine race strategy in stable conditions.” Qualifying for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo takes place on Saturday 22 April at 09.45 with race one at 15.00. Qualifying for the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup takes place at 09.50 followed by the three-hour race at 14.45 on Sunday 23 April. Race two of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo also takes place on Sunday at 11.20.

Pirelli will supply its latest P Zero at the opening round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)
Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com
Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com

The second race of the 50th Nogaro Easter Cup, which took place today in France, was won by the pairing of David Hallyday and Morgan Moullin-Traffort, driving a Porsche Cayman GT4 MR. Moullin-Traffort, an experienced racer who began his karting career alongside Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, started the race from fourth on the grid today before handing over to fellow Frenchman David Hallyday. Conditions were dry and warm throughout the opening round of the GT4 European Series, watched by an estimated 40,000 spectators. The Pirelli Junior Cup, given to the best-performing driver under 28 years of age, was awarded to Porsche Cayman driver Eric Tremoulet, who also finished second overall. He wins a trophy and a free set of P Zero tyres for the next race. Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager): “Even though we had hotter and more challenging conditions today compared to yesterday, once more the Pirelli P Zero DH tyres proved their versatility in helping to deliver an exciting race and strong performance across a range of different vehicle architectures, with both professional and amateur drivers. The winning car maximised its possibilities in a tough fight, through the correct strategy and some great driving. The DH tyres allowed all the different manufacturers to enjoy a fair battle, as a key element in a show that was really appreciated by a huge number of fans.” Eric Tremoulet (Pirelli Junior Cup winner, car 64, Vic Team Porsche Cayman GT4 MR): “We had a really good start: we were 12th on the grid and then by the first corner we were seventh or eighth I think. There was very good grip from the tyres at the beginning of the race and then more degradation as the stint went on, which is all part of the learning process. I’ve been recovering from injury so the car and the tyres were completely new to me, but straight away we felt confident and I’d like to thank Pirelli for this very useful prize.”

Pirelli Junior Cup winner Tremoulet	Porsche of Moullin-Traffort and Hallyday won

Fact of the day: David Hallyday is the son of Johnny Hallyday: one of France’s most famous singers. David is an actor and singer himself, and he’s also taken part in the Le Mans 24 Hours on five occasions, with a best result of seventh in class. Number of the day: 1,150. More than a thousand people visited Pirelli’s exclusive activation area in the Nogaro paddock, surrounded by road-going supercars, which included virtual reality gaming machines and a Scalextric version of the circuit. The winners were naturally awarded with Pirelli trophies: although not quite as big as the real ‘Coupe de Paques’…

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Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com. For further information please contact: Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • francescopaolo.tarallo@pirelli.com (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication) Carla Corbet • +44 7584 037 687 • carla@mediaticaworld.com Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • mariastella.narciso@pirelli.com