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)

Bridgestone will supply tailored-made tyres for Lamborghini’s Huracán STO, which will be launched in 2021.

Bridgestone ensured the high-performance tyre can maximise the Huracán STO’s traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance.

Key to the tyre’s success in maximising the super sports car’s performance is the combination of pattern and cavity design. The Potenza tyres apply an asymmetric tread design for enhanced steering response and cornering stability, and an internal crown structure that distributes footprint pressure evenly when cornering.

As well as the road-focused, custom-developed Potenza fitment, Bridgestone will also be providing a track-oriented, road-homologated version of the tyre that applies “race” technologies to maximise the vehicle’s track performance, especially in dry conditions.

Steven De Bock, VP Consumer Replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, said, “It’s been a pleasure for our team to work so closely with Lamborghini for the first time, and on such an exciting project. The Huracán STO is an incredible piece of engineering that deserves a custom tyre that can fulfill its full potential. I can proudly say that Bridgestone has delivered such a high-performance tyre. It has been fantastic for the team to have worked on a project that is at the forefront of technology in so many ways.”

Hankook, one of the major global tyre brands, has started testing and development operations at its new ultra modern facility in Spain.

The testing facility has been set up on the premises of the Applus+ IDIADA Group and can also cater to European premium car manufacturers that have their own demanding tyre tests. The facility is completely automated and will host a 20-member team from the Spanish testing centre, which is affiliated to the Hankook Europe Technical Centre.

Klaus Krause, Head of European Research and Development Centre, said, "With the further expansion of our testing capacities in Spain, we are reaching the next level together with our local partner Applus+ IDIADA."

He also added, "We are confident that the newly installed testing facilities in particular will significantly improve our efforts to provide the best tyre testing conditions and services to our employees and customers. In addition, we will also be able to conduct significantly more tests on site." (TT)

ASCENSO introduced a construction tyre - BLB 730- which is used for boom lift vehicles used in construction and other industries. It comes with several features that cater to the unique needs of aerial lifting equipment.

The BLB 730 tyre is available in different sizes to fit various boom lift vehicles. This range of sizes provides versatility and compatibility with different types of aerial lift work platforms.

“ASCENSO's BLB 730 tyre is a significant advancement in specialised equipment for the construction industry. It focuses on load capacity, stability, traction, and durability to improve the performance and safety of boom lift vehicles. Whether working at heights or manoeuvring on tough terrains, this tyre offers reliability and durability for efficient operations,” said the company in a statement.

The BLB 730 tyre is built to handle heavy loads and stabilise boom lift vehicles. It has solid lugs and a more extended shoulder design, which ensures good traction and prevents slipping during operation. This is important for safely carrying heavy weights at high elevations. ASCENSO has used a special rubber compound in making the BLB 730 tyre, making it durable and long-lasting, resulting in less downtime and more productivity on construction sites.

To make the tyre even better, the company has optimised its inner volume to reduce tyre fill consumption, reducing the risk of tyre punctures, minimising the need for maintenance, and keep the vehicles running smoothly.

Falken Tyre Europe is an official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 partner for the upcoming tournament, the company has announced. The tournament is taking place at nine venues in Sweden and Poland from 11-29 January, 2023. Falken Tyre claims that the partnership was organised by the sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE. SPORTFIVE is responsible for exclusive marketing and media rights for all IHF World Championships until 2031.

Falken Tyre claims that this is its second agreement with the International Handball Federation. In addition to title and logo rights (Official IHF Men's World Championship 2023 Partner), the company has also secured advertising rights, including the Falken logo in each goal and centre circle of the courts, as well as the presence of Falken branding in the official tournament social media communications and print materials. According to Falken Tyre, this is complemented by 30-second video ads that will be shown on the big screens in the nine sports halls before the start of each match and at half-time.

Sharing his views, Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer at SPORTFIVE, said, “With Falken, the IHF World Handball Championships have secured a great partner who is positioned with far-reaching influence in the relevant core markets. We are delighted to have been able to bring two global partners together for one of the most exciting sporting events of next year.”

Markus Bögner, COO and President of Falken Tyre Europe GmbH, explained, “Handball isn’t just of great importance in Europe, but all over the world, which has led us to partake in this top-level tournament once again. The fact that the international tournament is taking place in countries that are among our core markets is another great reason for our involvement. We can also look back on a long partnership with our colleagues at SPORTFIVE, who always offers us excellent opportunities that are an excellent fit for the Falken brand, which stands for enthusiasm, performance and achievement.”