Falken Motorsports has announced that it will send two Porsche 911 GT3 R and a stable of eight drivers to the Nordschleife for the annual 24-hour race and select Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) rounds. 

The driver line-up for Falken in 2022 is a strong mix of youth and experience spearheaded by Falken regulars Klaus Bachler, Sven Müller and Martin Ragginger.
Bachler has been racing for Falken since 2017 and was part of Falken’s maiden overall win at the Nordschleife in 2018 in the NLS (formerly VLN) together with Ragginger. 

Ragginger is an integral part of the team and the Austrian has been competing with Falken at the Nürburgring since the team became a Porsche customer team in 2011. This year, Ragginger will embark on his 12th Nordschleife campaign and still has his sights set on an overall win at the Nürburgring 24-hour race, the company said in a release. 

Sven Müller has also been part of the Falken squad for several years. The 30-year-old has multiple podium finishes with the team, most recently at last year's season finale when he narrowly missed out on overall victory together with Martin Ragginger. 

The Falken regulars will receive support from five other hugely successful GT drivers during the year. One of them is newcomer Jaxon Evans, who obtained his Nordschleife racing permit last year. While the New Zealander is new to competing at the Nürburgring, he has a wealth of experience racing with Porsche around the world. In recent years, Evans has been successful in single-make competitions including the Mobil 1 Porsche Supercup, a support series of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. 

Porsche development driver Lars Kern continues his relationship with Falken in 2022 after joining the team at the end of the 2021 season. At home on the Nordschleife, he has set numerous lap records on the ‘Green Hell’. Belgian Alessio Picariello also returns after competing with Falken last year in the NLS and making his Nurburgring 24 Hours debut. 

Frenchman Patrick Pilet and German Macro Seefried complete the line-up. Pilet is hungry for more success with Falken after achieving a strong set of results two years ago with the Japanese tyre manufacturer. Seefried shares the same level of ambition upon returning to the team. Widely considered a GT3 specialist, he has already competed in a variety of cars on the Nordschleife – including a BMW M6 GT3 entered by Falken Motorsports in 2017. 

The start of the Nürburgring Endurance Series season is scheduled for 26 March 2022. The highlight of the year, the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, will take place from 25-29 May 2022. (TT)  

Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured a one-season shirt-sleeve sponsorship agreement with AS Monaco, one of French football's most successful clubs, to increase awareness for its premium Vredestein brand.

This partnership will leverage Ligue 1's ranking as the fifth most watched football league in the world to raise awareness of Vredestein's award-winning products among a large audience in France and abroad. On November 22, AS Monaco's home league game against Brest will have the new sleeve branding for the first time. The Vredestein brand will be heavily promoted at Stade Louis-II for the 2024–2025 season, including on player sleeves and LED screens around the field. Exclusive social media initiatives will further help make the brand prominent, reaching a large and interested audience.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe, Apollo Tyres, said, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to strengthen Vredestein’s presence in one of our key markets. AS Monaco’s rich history and commitment to excellence mirror our focus on performance and innovation. We look forward to building a successful relationship with the club and celebrating its achievements this season.”

Thibaut Chatelard, Marketing and Revenue Director, AS Monaco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Apollo Tyres and its Vredestein brand to the family of AS Monaco partners. This collaboration makes sense in view of the values we share, such as the constant pursuit of performance and excellence. There’s no doubt that this new support will be precious for the rest of our season, which promises to be thrilling.”

Nexen Tire, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has launched the Nexen N´Blue S tyre, adding to its range of summer tyres and providing drivers with advanced safety, energy efficiency and superior driving stability in wet and dry conditions.

Developed using highly dispersed silica and equipped with an optimised structural design, the Nexen N´Blue S tyre provides reduced road noise and improved driving stability. The tyre features an innovative tread compound, formulated with hydrophilic fillers and microstructure-controlled polymers, and provides lower rolling resistance and exceptional dry and wet grip. The tyre also excelled in test results by demonstrating an 11 percent improvement in wet braking distance compared to its predecessor.

Apart from providing excellent performance, the Nexen  N´Blue S also scores high on the sustainability index. The tyre provides an eco-friendly solution for environmentally conscious drivers by minimising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Nexen N´Blue S summer tyre is available in 58 sizes, which makes it compatible with different types of vehicles.

Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. is all set to expand its investment project in Binh Duong province of Vietnam, with the phase 3 of expansion commencing in early 2025. This was discussed at a recent meeting between Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), and Kim Hyun Ho, General Director of Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The meeting was held on 13 November at the Administrative Centre of Binh Duong province, as per an official statement. Apart from the company’s investment till date and the planned investment for phase 3, the two also discussed about the challenges and obstacles regarding procedures and processes to have more land funds to expand the manufacturing plant, along with taking measures to tackle the obstacles. Kim Hyun Ho also conveyed to the PPC Chairman that Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. belongs to South Korea's Kumho Tire Group and is currently ranked 10th in the car tyre manufacturing industry.

The company had invested in a tyre manufacturing plant in My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park in 2007 with a total initial investment of USD 308 million, which was supplemented by another USD 300 million in 2021. This extended the factory scale to six hectares and increased the production capacity to 12.5 million tyres annually. With the expansion in early 2025, the company will raise its total investment to USD 908 million and increase the factory's production capacity to 17 million tyres annually. The expanded capacity is expected to be operational by early 2026.

Yokohama-ATG, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain and off-the-road tyres, has expanded its Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range of forklift tyres with the launch of white, non-marking tyres.

The Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range consists of puncture-proof SDS tyres with extended wear limits designed for high-intensity working shifts and long durability. These are premium, solid rubber tyres developed for tough demands, a long service life and high driving comfort. The addition of white, non-marking tyres is specifically aimed at clean working environments.

Marked by a 3-stage construction process, the forklift tyres feature reduced heat build-up, effective shock absorption and minimised vibrations. The pattern design guarantees a smooth ride and good steerability thanks to its continuous centre lug and circumferential grooves. Furthermore, the flat walls and wide flat profile offer excellent stability when using a forklift for vertical stacking. The tyres are also equipped with anti-slip steel beads for improved rim fitment

In a case study on a CAT 2.5-tonne forklift that was used for handling heavy pallets on asphalt, the Galaxy MFS 101 SDS outshone the competitors with impressive performance. The tyre delivered an approximate 900 working hours before replacement against competitors’ 500 working hours.