The final race of the year in the F2 category at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix was exhilarating. It saw the likes of Daniel Ticktum, Mick Schumaker and the Indian, Jehan Daruwala, battling it out for the high podium. This race brought India back into the history books as Jehan won the race and stood proud as the Indian national anthem played on a global stage.

Since then, Jehan has been busy training and competing in races. He talked to Tyre Trends on his journey of trials, bumps and victories that brought him to this historic moment.

“I started karting recreationally at the age of 9 with my dad when we happened to see an ad for a 3-day karting camp that got me hooked. I participated in the Indian Karting Nationals with Rayo Racing and won the title in the micro-max category in my second year. Soon after, we tried at an Asian level and went to Malaysia to compete. There too, I was very competitive and went on to win the Asian Yamaha Karting title. The “One in a Billion” hunt was a game changer for me. After that I was exposed to competing with the best drivers in UK and Europe. Winning the British SuperOne Championship, the CIK FIA Asia Pacific Championship and the coming third in the CIK FIA World Karting Championship validated my belief of being able to compete with the best out there and this was important in my development as a race driver both in karts and later in single seaters. I then moved to Formula cars where I did two years in Renault 2.0, two years in European F3 and another year in the new FIA Formula 3 where I placed 3^rd in the championship. I then made the move to Formula 2 in 2020.”

Jehan’s season in the 2020 Formula 2 was not at all rosy, things were looking bleak at first due to a few mechanical hiccups in the first few races. A new engine change and a few tweaks later, Jehan was back in the game and pushing for a podium win.

“It feels good to have won the F2 race in Bahrain. The season didn’t start off the way I anticipated and I knew I had the pace, but the issues I had with the starts kept taking me backwards. Basically, it was a season of two halves for me. Midway through the season, things changed, and I was fighting for positions in the top few. On the last race weekend, battling first with Mick Schumacher and then Daniel Ticktum for the lead was very intense. On the last lap I knew that if I made no mistakes I was going to win and ensured that I stayed focused till the end. It was a relief to pass the chequered flag in P1 as I always felt that I had the pace to fight for a win and in the last race everything fell in place.

The podium and the win in Bahrain is special as I finally stood on the top step in the season. Hearing the Indian National Anthem being played on a global stage made me feel very proud and I hope to take this forward to the next season.”

Changes in tyres

The year 2020 saw a new change as far as tyres go in the FIA. The FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships got their 2020 seasons underway with new 18-inch Pirelli tyres from the previous 13-inch tyres from Pirelli. This was Jehan’s first time in Formula 2, so the new tyres worked to his advantage.

“I have had no experience with the 13-inch wheels that were previously used in F2, so for me there is no prior point of reference. I’ve had to learn the F2 car with the new 18-inch wheels in the same way that I have done before when graduating through single seaters. At the start of the year, I realised that I had good pace over one qualifying lap but found the tyre management much more difficult than I had anticipated. In F3, we didn’t think so much about the tyres. Every driver has a natural driving style which I had to adapt to suit the F2 car and the tyres which have various compounds. I have progressively improved in this aspect through the season.”

In every race, choosing the right tyre plays a crucial part in the jigsaw puzzle of components that makes up the F2 cars. There are so many variables to keep in mind. Choosing the right tyre compound and staying within the race guidelines is an intricate affair.

“Every race weekend has two tyre compounds which the organisers allocate (primes- the harder compound and options – the softer compound.) Generally, the prime tyres are used in practice as they last longer and option tyres are used for qualifying as they are the faster compound. Both compound tyres have to be used for the feature race so the team decides what the correct tyre strategy would be and what compound to run first depending on weather, track temperature, time of day, etc.. And for the sprint race, we generally use the prime tyres.”

In racing, getting the most out of your tyres is at the top of a racers checklist. The amount of grip and traction that you have on a particular set of tyres can shave seconds off your time.

“Driving smoothly so as to get the maximum out of the tyres is essential. In the race you can’t do every lap on the limit like you do in qualifying. You have to get a feel of how quickly the tyres are degrading which depends on the air and track temperature, and adapt the drive such that the tyres last the duration of the race.”

Jehan has been racing F3 cars for some time now but the switch from F3 cars to F2 cars with their weight and performance differences is a big step up.

“Yes, the switch from F3 to F2  is a huge step especially in terms of tyre management. The F2 cars are heavier and have more horsepower but finally its a car with 4 wheels so we drive it to the limit.”

What could be the reason why Asian drivers, including Indians, find it difficult to move up to F1 championships?

 “Motorsport in India is difficult to pursue as a career due to a lack of sufficient facilities. In order to succeed in motorsport, you need to spend a good 5/7 years in competitive karting. Training at grassroot levels in variable conditions is essential to develop as a driver. There aren’t too many professional karting tracks within comfortable distances for young kids to develop themselves. Even race tracks are few and that too only in South India and the BIC in the North. Another big factor is the cost involved and thus finding the right sponsors is crucial and very difficult.”

What is your take on the only F1 race track in India in New Delhi practically winding up? Do you see the need of an exclusive, world class race track in India?

The Buddh International Circuit in India is a world class race track. It has all the facilities on par with any other F1 tracks. It is unfortunate that Formula One did not continue to come to India and the track is barely used.

What are your future plans in racing?

For the moment, my focus is on the 2021 season in F2, to try my very best, taking all the lessons learned this year and trying for the title. My ultimate goal of course is Formula 1 which is the pinnacle of motorsport.

Any advice for young racing aspirants?

Any sport, especially racing builds tremendous character and discipline. There is always pressure to perform so it’s important to always remember why you got into the sport in the first place – because you love it!  And so you must never forget to enjoy when you are doing it. (TT)

Bridgestone Americas announced the launch of Firestone Direct mobile vehicle service for car owners and fleet operators. Firestone Direct brings Bridgestone’s automotive services directly to vehicle owners’ homes or workplaces to offer maximum convenience with safe, contact-free service.

This service uses specially equipped vans operated by certified technicians to perform a wide range of maintenance services, including fluid and filter changes, tire repair and replacement, battery check and replacement, and more. 

Through 2021, Firestone Direct will continue to grow into additional markets across the southeastern U.S., with plans to expand nationwide by 2023. The new service launched first in Nashville and Atlanta and expanded into Orlando and Tampa in March.

Angie Oleson, director of Firestone Direct, said, “Customers are increasingly turning to online shopping and at-home services for convenience and safety, and Firestone Direct is at the forefront of this movement for at-home car care. By bringing trusted vehicle care featuring the latest automotive technologies directly to the customer, Firestone Direct can leverage the expertise of our trained technicians with the ease of online booking and at-home service for maximum convenience.” (TT)

The global electric vehicle (EV) market has taken a tremendous leap forward, with new registrations reaching record market shares in nearly all countries. For the tyre development landscape, the accelerating growth of the EV market means a pervasive transformation.

Boosting circular economy

At Black Donuts, the impact of the EV trend can be seen everywhere, from the tyre designers’ desks to the new practices of tyre testing. Beyond meeting new demands of the EV sector, the procedures and practices are tuned to serve the company’s strategic goal: to spearhead the industry’s shift towards a circular economy.

Black Donuts launched the first EV tyre development projects with its tyre manufacturer customers in 2018. The internal research on EV tyres was initiated even before, at the time of the first EVs entering the market. “The first research project addressed the primary technological challenges: rolling resistance and noise,” says lkka Lehtoranta, Head of Tire and Material Development at Black Donuts.

In tyre design, it is essential to focus on specific aspects to ensure optimal performance for electric cars. Compared to combustion cars, tyres for Evs must carry a heavier load withstand high instant torque – and be efficient and quiet. 

Lately, the focus on tyre technology has shifted towards more comprehensive sustainability. Bio-based materials and compounds are opening new possibilities, and the rapid growth of the EV market accelerates the pace of development. ”The EV trend has highlighted the sustainability of tyres. The demand for bio-based materials and tyre recyclability has significantly increased,” says Jarkko Mällinen, Technology Development Manager of Black Donuts.

In cooperation with its partners, Black Donuts is investigating new possibilities to replace fossil-fuel-based raw materials with bio-based or renewable materials in all products, including studded tyres. The company is currently testing the use of bio-based plastics in stud bodies.

Also, end-of-life tyres are a hot topic in the industry, and Black Donuts is researching how the waste tyres can be recirculated and recycled back into the process. Even the tyre development process is undergoing a renaissance. New design tools for faster tyre development are being introduced, emphasising the key features of sustainable, future proof tyres.

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European PCLT (passenger car and light truck) tyre manufacturing capacity has risen over the past decade to meet increased demand, but there has been a major shift from plants in Western Europe, towards Central Europe and Russia. The move eastwards reflects substantial differences in operating costs between the two regions, specifically in terms of labour costs. Hourly labour rates in Central and Eastern Europe can typically be half to one quarter of those in the highest cost Western European countries. In particular this significant differential has resulted in the transfer of production of lower priced non-premium tyres to larger plants in Central and Eastern Europe. Numerous PCLT plant closures and downsizings in Western Europe have either been announced or enacted during the past 18 months.

In 2019 Cooper Tires ended PCLT tyre production at its small plant in the UK, and Michelin recently closed the PCLT tyre plant in Dundee that manufactured tier-1 brand tyres in lower rim-diameters (≤16”), a shrinking segment of the European market. These closures leave just the two PCLT tyre facilities operating in the country: the Pirelli plants that focus on low volume but high-margin premium tyres.

In Germany, Michelin has announced plans to close its Bamburg plant that also focused on lower-rim -diameter tyres, whilst Goodyear is restructuring operations at its PCLT tyre facilities located in Fulda and Hanau. Total capacity there will fall, but there will be an increase in production of premium tyres.

Pirelli has recently ceased production of car tyres at its Bollate plant in Italy, its only facility in Western or Central Europe that was manufacturing non-premium car tyres. Apollo Tyres plans to downsize PCLT capacity at its plant in the high-cost Netherlands, focusing the facility on high value tyres with short production runs. Management had stated that the company lost money on 70% of the PCLT tyres that it sold from the facility.

Despite these closures in Western Europe, expansion to the east is expected to result in the net addition of 30 million units of PCLT tyre capacity across Europe* by 2026. New plants that have been recently opened, or are currently under construction, are located in either central and eastern Europe or Russia. In 2017, Apollo Tyres opened a greenfield plant in Hungary, with first-phase capacity increasing to 5.5 million PCLT tyres and almost 0.7 million TBR tyres. Supply from the facility has substituted imports from India and now permits the planned downsizing and specialisation of production in the Netherlands.

In 2018, Hankook announced plans to add production of TBR tyres at its plant in Hungary, however this expansion was put on hold in late 2019. In phases, the company has already expanded PCLT tyre capacity until it is now one of the largest such facilities in the world. Meanwhile, Nexen has begun the ramp-up of capacity at its new plant in the Czech Republic; this will have added substantially to the country’s capacity by 2023.

In addition to further investments across Central and Eastern Europe by Continental Tire, Bridgestone and Pirelli, an expansion of premium tyre capacity in Slovenia has also been announced by Goodyear.

In mid-2019 Toyo Tire announced its intention to build a new tyre plant in Serbia, consolidating the country’s position as the leading location for new PCLT tyre manufacturing capacity in Europe. This follows Linglong’s decision to build its new European plant in the country and Cooper Tire’s plan to double the size of its facility. Based on analysis by Astutus Research of all announced capacity actions (plant opening and expansion net of closures and downsizing), Serbia will account for over 40% of planned capacity additions between 2019 and 2026.

Toyo expects to invest €390 million in its new facility that will have a capacity of 5 million units. It intends to start production in early 2022 and reach full capacity the following summer. Linglong’s facility will have a capacity of 12 million PCLT tyres, alongside truck and radial agricultural tyres, built in three phases and representing a total investment of over €800 million.

Serbia as new hub

Although there is demand for both replacement and original equipment PCLT tyres in Serbia, the domestic market is amongst the smallest in Europe and production will be export focused. The country has already emerged as a key source of budget tyres to the European Union and to Russia, predominantly from Tigar Tyre, Michelin’s low-cost tyre subsidiary, that has significantly increased capacity and production in the past decade.

Geographically, Serbia is well located to supply the major markets of the EU and Russia, and benefits from free trade agreements with both. Labour costs in the country are significantly lower than in the Czech Republic or Hungary, and labour availability is good, with a higher rate of unemployment.

At present Toyo imports tyres to Europe from its facilities in Japan and Malaysia; Linglong utilises its PCLT tyre plants in China and Thailand. Both companies aim to develop their presence in Europe, and local production should help them in this quest, particularly in the original equipment segment where the significantly shorter lead times will improve the competitiveness of their offer. Similarly, the opportunity to increase their share of the OE business was one of the motivations for Nexen and Apollo to replace imports to open a plant in the region.

Whilst the influence of the Covid-19 virus may slow the pace of some planned investment in central and eastern Europe, it has already accelerated the pace of closures in the west. Furthermore, we expect that it will result in further plant closures there, as the decline in European tyre demand dramatically reduces plant utilisation rates.

*Europe refers to Western, Central and Eastern Europe, including Russia and CIS, but excludes Turkey which we include in the Middle East & Africa region.

For capacity data: ‘Western Europe’ includes plants in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg. ‘Central Europe’ refers to Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. ‘Russia and CIS’ refers to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Uzbekistan.

• Simon Hodson is Research Director at Astutus Research shodson@astutusresearch.com

The WHO has said that the outbreak is now officially a Pandemic. People/ companies/ organisations are still coming to grips on how to address the situation. Government heads of various countries are trying to curb the situation by restricting entries of people who are affected by countries that are affected the most. Thus, airlines would have only diplomats and other certain levels of people allowed to fly.  Many airlines have suspended a good number of their flights.  Many companies will be looking to take a hair cut on what they take back with them, just to see that business can be sustained during the trying situations. 

The virus has led various markets to crash, courier services have been curtailed in certain countries. All types of cancellations, be it sport, expositions or business, have affected the business world over. The transaction value in the losses may be difficult to gauge currently, however, it could be in the millions. Contracts would have to be reworked, and companies may have to come with new strategies. 

However, in every situation, there would be also a business opportunity, if you work your strategy right. The sale of masks, gloves, hand sanitisers, medical devices would be able to generate good business. Though it is seen that the outbreak is from China, you also got to give to them as to how they are trying to contain the situation by building hospital/s within 10 days. In other countries, this would easily have taken a much longer time period. 

It is a given that the business scenario is not going to be the best for most of the companies; Therefore, companies may have to think and reevaluate the way they are currently running their company. Companies will look to get leaner in every possible way. Cut down on unwanted expenses. Many companies have started asking their employees to work from home. Some may look to have lesser number of people and look to automate some of the work, especially in the factories.  Commercial properties being an expensive asset to maintain, some companies may look to perhaps go on rented co working spaces. Use less of one time use items like plastic and use more renewable/ reusable substitutes. Use of more environment friendly methods going forward will be the mantra. 

This hit on our social system in a way will make us pause, think and have better suggestions as to how to look after ourselves and our environment at large.