Tyre research and development  racing groups  are working vigorously on new combinations of hardeners, fillers, polymers or fine-tuning design parameters. They are eagerly looking for ways to improve grip, durability, handling and comfort in wet or dry conditions. They customise tyres for particular weather and track conditions. Each of their design logic is different. On race tracks, the tyres operate under extreme conditions that cannot be fully simulated on indoor test drums. Therefore, the development of the tyre is always complemented by the actual result of the route. They bring dozens of different specification tyres to the track for a single sponsored car. Regular road tyres are very different from racing tyres. However, tyre manufacturers are still considering or applying a combination of new race specifications to improve rolling resistance, increase grip or maximise durability.

Motorsport is in many ways the ultimate R&D programme for the tyre companies, and they spend heavy budgets on such programmes. Thus, they strictly defend their intellectual property. They pick up all the pieces of rubber that were torn off and left on the track to make sure they have all the tyres again. They work until they are sure they have all the parts.

The racing car reaches a top speed of up to 400 kmph, and the tyre has to withstand temperatures of up to 240 degree Celsius  at the point. Or on slower, more twisty tracks, a softer tyre offers more grip, but it still reaches very high working temperatures. Each tyre specification consists of the owner’s technology and each is worth protecting its intellectual property. There are examples where a company threatens racing teams with a fine of one million euros for every tyre lost. Tyre companies don’t want to leave any chance of technology leakage. Every company is very keen to collect its racing tyres before it leaves the circuit. The tyres later are cut off in small pieces and sent to incinerating areas.

But anyway, when all the racing teams arrive on the circuit with hundreds of tyres, they take the risk of leaking some IP information.

The Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyres must have sufficient speed capability along with wet and dry grip performance, which are reflections of some rally tyre specifications

Racing tyres are racers’ best friends and can meet the demands of extreme conditions. Tyres are generally differentiated into ‘soft’, ‘medium’ and ‘hard’. A softer tyre is faster and safer in rallies but has a shorter life, while the hard-tread tyre provides a longer life. On the other hand, there are commercially available rally tyres with different tread compounds belonging to the major brands of rally tyres. Compounds for uphill and wet use for lighter and heavier cars, slick compound for lighter cars, softer and harder slick compound for lighter rally, sprint and endurance, Soft-Medium- Ultra-Very Hard Compound for Slick or Classic, Hard- Soft Compound for Sports Cars, Very Soft-Soft-Medium-Hard GT Hill Climb Blend, Soft Compound for Rally-Cross Applications  are such examples.

When we talk about UHP as a car, it is equipped with upgrades such as a more powerful engine, more powerful brakes, sports suspension and UHP tyres, but especially the body style that shares the base model. Therefore, UHP tyres must have sufficient speed capability along with wet and dry grip performance. Rolling resistance is a leap back and opposes the high grip rate of performance tyres. All these facts are brought together, thanks to the hard work and experience of people in R&D.

Motorsport is an important technological tool for the automotive industry. So it does open horizons to tyre designers.

The rubber of a tyre is viscoelastic; it deforms and adapts to the texture of the road surface as it rolls over it. This asymmetric deformation of the rubber generates a reaction force that prevents drift. In other words, it generates a frictional force which is defined as a grip. The coefficient of friction between the surfaces of the tyre and the track depends mainly on the behaviour of the tyre’s rubber. Tyre hysteresis is a critical factor in generating grip.

Molecular interactions occur at the interface between the tyre rubber and the road surface, which generates grip. The molecular chains of rubber follow this cycle of stretching and breaking, which creates viscoelastic work. This work effectively multiplies the amount of bond energy by a factor that depends on the temperature of the rubber and the speed of rolling. Tyre grip has heretofore been referred to as ‘molecular grip’, which also means why a tyre deposits rubber on a racing track depending on the rubber’s hysteresis, deformability and viscosity. These three parameters are consisting three corners of a triangle. Stretching only one corner to maximise performance does not work.

In many ways, motorsport is part of the ultimate R&D programme. Every aspect of a modern vehicle already part of everyday life has been built and generated with specific technology business development programmes.

Motorsport is an important technological tool for the automotive industry. It is in motorsport that automotive technology evolves. The same goes for racing vehicle tyres that run under such vehicles and are superior in materials and structures, which will later suit the next generation UHP tyres.

In the early days of the automobile, rallies were a kind of enthusiasm full of adrenaline.  ‘Motorsport’ organisations are a convenient way to test attained abilities and stimulate technology in science and people’s lives. Vehicle dynamics is one of the critical issues in the present century and the last century. Much trial and error have been carried out in recent years to achieve speed, safety and transport capacity.

Today’s vehicles are full of sensors for different functions to alert drivers about faulty parts. Pressure monitoring systems in tyres are popular the EU . Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) became mandatory for all M1 vehicle classes after 1 November 2014. Automated Tyre Monitoring and Inflation System can ensure adequate tyre pressure to meet better handling requirements, which is possible with today’s technology and quite suitable for motorsport vehicles. The tyre, as the most important part of vehicles, has varying characteristics with its viscoelastic structure. The automated tyre monitoring and inflation system will reduce the effect of variance on the tyres.

What are the breakthroughs in motorsport events today?

Motorsport by virtual reality could be fully utilised in the design and upgrading of vehicles. Different vehicle models, weather conditions, tyres and situations can be simulated with minimum stress and fun, and this can encourage radical innovations to scale down with significant money savings.

What about self-driving car races?

The Roborace championships with fully autonomous car races have already started in 2019. Self-driving cars on the road are an incredible achievement, thanks to complex algorithms. It learns and reacts to the racing environment and has faster ‘reflexes’ than any human driver capable of making predictions. It is said that a prototype autonomous vehicle generates 100 TB of data a day, which is open to different skills for younger generations.

But either way, the challenges of motorsport will need talented engineers to harness the cutting edge technology of tomorrow’s motorsport. (TT)

As part of a strategic effort to increase its presence in the region's premium original equipment (OE) market, Kumho Tire has confirmed its plans to establish its first tyre production facility in Europe by 2027.

The company has shortlisted Poland, Serbia and Portugal as possible locations for the plant, which is projected to need an investment of more than KRW1 trillion (USD 705 million). The decision is closely linked to Kumho’s ambition to strengthen its partnerships with European automakers and was revealed by Kumho Tire CEO during the South Korean premiere of Kumho's new Ecsta Sport tyre line.

Kumho has recently secured OE supply contracts with major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen Group. At the moment, Kumho runs eight tyre production plants in China, Vietnam, South Korea and the US. Its capacity to compete in the premium OE market, however, has come to be perceived as being constrained by the absence of a European production base. Through the benefits of local production, the new facility will improve response to European client requests, save freight costs and shorten delivery times, all of which will strengthen the company's partnerships.

Sentury Tire USA has opened pre-enrolment for its two associate dealer programmes (ADPs), the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program and the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program, underscoring the company’s commitment to rewarding dedication and partnership to the Landsail and Delinte brands.

The ADPs, which are customised for each brand and intended to encourage dealers, will formally start on 1 June 2025. Both programmes give dealers access to special benefits, incentives and strong tools to help them expand their businesses. This involves dependable customer service, effective marketing and worthwhile financial incentives to promote dealers' success at every stage.

Beginning in Q3, dealers may earn up to USD three per tyre through the Delinte HYPERDRIVE Associate Dealer Program. Dealers can receive retroactive benefits for purchases completed in Q2 if they register before 1 June. The awards are available for all Delinte PTR, LTR and the new DV3 LMD AS last-mile delivery tyres. For all Landsail PTR and LTR tyres, independent dealers that sign up for the Landsail Elyte Associate Dealer Program can also earn up to USD three per tyre. For customers who sign up by June 1, the new LMD 100 AS last-mile delivery is also eligible for the benefits and will get the same early bird incentive for Q2 2025.

No initial order is necessary. Dealers only need to register to begin making money. According to the monthly programme rewards structure, 48 tyre purchases each month are eligible for a reward of USD one per tyre, 120 tyres are eligible for a reward of USD two per tyre and 240 or more tyres are eligible for a reward of USD three per tyre.

ENSO, a London-based tyre manufacturer engaged in the production of sustainable tyres specially designed for electric vehicles (EVs), has launched its new ENSO Premium range of EV-specific ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres aimed at drivers of high-performance EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Specifically designed for electric passenger vehicles, the ENSO Premium range comes with A/A EU-label ratings for both energy efficiency and wet grip. The tyres are designed to provide safety, increased range and a reduced total cost of ownership. Conventional tyre designs frequently fall short of the special performance needs of electric vehicles, which include greater vehicle weight, regenerative braking and higher torque loads. By lowering tyre wear and rolling resistance, ENSO Premium takes care of these issues.

The company is an authorised provider of replacement tyres for LEVC's electric taxis and has partnered with Uber to install its tyres in high-mileage metropolitan areas. The company now plans to grow throughout Europe and North America, and with ENSO Premium, it is now offering its services to individual EV owners throughout the United Kingdom. According to ENSO, the range offers advantages including longer tyre life and fewer replacements, lower energy usage, fewer charging stops and lower CO₂ emissions and tyre particle pollution.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO and Co-Founder, ENSO, said, “We’re plugging a long-standing gap in the tyre market by offering EV drivers a purpose-built, affordable, premium EV tyre alternative that matches the innovation of their EV.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has announced a general price hike in North America for its SBS, SIS and HSBC product lines with effect from 1 May 2025.

Following a careful analysis of the effects of recently implemented tariffs, related cost increases and a conclusion that the company cannot independently absorb these repercussions, Kraton is adopting these pricing hikes, according to a company statement. The company further said that it will keep an eye on the scene and reassess these measures promptly in the event that conditions and US import tariffs alter.