Two weeks on the limit: the challenge for Pirelli at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and Spa
For Pirelli and motorsport enthusiasts, particularly fans of GT cars, the next fortnight promises days filled with hard work and excitement. It begins in the week of 16 June with the Nurburgring 24 Hours and ends on Sunday 29 when the chequered flag falls at the Spa 24 Hours.
Pirelli will play a leading role in both events, taking on an unprecedented production, logistic and organisational challenge. Over 250 engineering and support staff will be on hand to provide the highest level of service to teams and drivers.
THE PIRELLI TEAMS AT THE NURBURGRING
Pirelli has been the sole supplier at Spa since 2013, but the race format at the Nurburgring also features competition between various tyre manufacturers. For the German 24 Hour race, the Italian company will partner Dinamic Motorsport’s Porsche 911 GT3, Dörr Motorsport’s McLaren Arutra Trophy and the Aston Martin GT4s, as well as supporting the Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantages in both the SP9 and SP10 categories, and the German team’s Hyundai i30N in the VT category.
In fact, Pirelli has recently signed a multi-year agreement with Walkenhorst Motorsport, which sees the German team join the pool of key partners for development work at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife circuit. The agreement strengthens a long-standing partnership crowned by multiple successes. On one hand, Walkenhorst has competed alongside Pirelli in several series where the Milan-based company is the exclusive tire supplier — such as the ADAC GT Masters and the GT World Challenge Europe. On the other, many of the German team’s GT victories have been achieved precisely on Pirelli tyres.
Also running Pirelli tyres will be BSL Racing’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS and the Bulldog Racing Mini.
MATTEO BRAGA, RACING ACTIVITY MANAGER PIRELLI:
“These will be two weeks of hard work for all of us, but enjoyable and involving at the same time, as well as an opportunity to share experiences internally. In fact, at the Nurburgring, our central motorsport team will be able to work very closely and effectively with our colleagues from the German motorsport and research and development group. As for Spa, as always, we will be joined by engineers and developers from our motorsport and technology centres from around the world. These two races will deliver a massive amount of very important data, from having our tyres put to the test under the most extreme conditions possible. At the Nurburgring, as is always the case, I expect fierce competition within each category, full of uncertainty and with any outcome possible right to the very end. We are supporting very determined and high quality teams who will definitely have their say.”
THE TYRES
For the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, the GT4 cars will be able to use the standard Pirelli range of tyres from the GT range: the slick P Zero DHG Pirelli and, in the event of rain, the Cinturato WHB Pirelli. The GT3 cars will use a special evolution of the DHG and WHB, developed as per the regulations, for this type of circuit and race.
The DHG, which is new for this season, follows on from the DHF, which over its three years of use was highly regarded by the teams and drivers who appreciated its versatility and reliability. The DHG is a solid foundation for the development of the BoP system put in place by SRO. The new P Zero, available in several sizes to suit all GT classes, features the use of innovative materials that provide more consistent car balance over long distances.
The latest evolution of the Pirelli WHB wet weather tyres has this year become the standard for all GT cars, across all classes in the major events. Compared to the previous generation, this WHB features a redesigned tread pattern, made possible through the use of the latest generation of materials. These new compounds, along with increased tread stiffness, have improved the contact patch, optimising grip and warm-up at low temperatures, without compromising stability during transition from a wet to dry track. The tyre’s resistance to aquaplaning has been improved, widening its race performance window.
As from this year, all dry and wet weather Pirelli tyres for GT cars will carry the Forest Stewardship Council®(FSC®)1 logo. This certifies that all the natural rubber used in the tyre2 comes from plantations managed so as to preserve biodiversity, while also benefiting the people living and working in these areas.
1 Pirelli tyres (FSC®N003618) are FSC® certified as MIX natural rubber, meaning they are made from a combination of matural and synthetic rubber in accordance with FSC® ADVICE-40-004-15.
2 This corresponds to approximately 17 percent of the total weight of the tyre.