The benefits of this are multiple. First of all, they don’t need to offer the full range of sizes to stake their claim as a racing tyre manufacturer. And I need to stress I’m talking about road car racing, not F1 racers, as those tyres are basically rocket science at this point. Many Chinese factories seem to have launched their racing tyre range for a very specific purpose, as they only have a few sizes, and sometimes very odd ones. For example, I saw a factory with just three different sizes for their racing tyre pattern, and one of them was 255/55R18. Just in case you want to rock your BMW X5 on the racing track, maybe? I can’t help but giggle at the image of drifting SUVs. Secondly, they don’t even need to be very good at it, or to be able to make very innovative products. It’s much easier to develop a product for a very specific purpose and just make it ‘good enough’, without engaging in the top five percent where all the heavy investment and R&D is needed to churn out those milliseconds that make all the difference for the top performers. Actually, when catering to the segment that just wants to burn tyres – drifters, for example – the usually all-important grip factor suddenly becomes negligible. And offering a budget option is attractive to those burning tyres on their own bill.

Design wise also racing tyres are very different from regular car tyres, in that they’re basically slicks with a flashy looking single lightning groove from close to the centre to the edge. Hard to make that design truly unique, but that also means that nobody can be blamed when designing something a bit too similar to something already on the market. Function before looks in this case, I’m sure. And in terms of rubber compounds, there are usually two or three different ones, depending on specific client needs, and they’re made to order. The hardest compounds are naturally for the drifters, and the softer ones for track racing.

But, in spite of the designs being simple, compounds not challenging to make, and the fact that the size range doesn’t need to be extensive, launching a racing tyre range still somehow reflects positively on all the regular passenger car tyres in the manufacturer’s range. As if the fact that they can design and produce tyres for high-performance racing machines also means that their standard range offers better handling or on-road performance to vehicles run by weekend warriors or others who might drive a station wagon, but really are race car drivers at heart.

That is, of course, if the Chinese budget manufacturers used this in their global marketing strategy – and in most cases, had one to begin with. The days where Chinese tyres could be sold on price alone are over, as output has far exceeded demand, but it’s striking to see how few have actually invested in their future market shares. For the layman, trying to name five major Chinese tyre manufacturers (or any of their brands) would be a tall order. Trying to name any that produce racing tyres would be even harder. Even for those inside the industry, very few know how many produce racing tyres or other specialised tyre products, because they often produce for a single client and don’t use this in active marketing. And no, a ‘sales manager’ posting a picture on LinkedIn doesn’t count. The brands and tyre manufacturers in China that will prevail are those able to build a global marketing strategy and naturally possess the skills to stay at the front of product development and gradually move out of the ultra-budget segment. The rest will learn the hardship of selling cheap tyres on price alone when China isn’t cheap anymore. (TT)

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Michelin has formed a technical and sporting alliance with Segway as the Segway Dakar Rally Factory Team prepares to enter the 2028 Dakar Rally aboard an entirely new, fully electric racing motorcycle. Acting as the team's official tyre supplier and technical partner, Michelin will be involved from the project's very first stages, supporting Segway throughout development.

Segway, drawing on its electric mobility background, is pursuing a demanding engineering goal: designing a brand-new 100 percent electric racing motorcycle built to survive the Dakar Rally's punishing conditions. The event will act as a live testing environment where both partners can subject their newest innovations to extreme demands and probe fresh territory in performance and electric mobility.

The partnership is being officially sealed at EICMA 2026 in Milan, Italy, a major international motorcycle industry showcase, where representatives of both firms will sign an agreement confirming their joint dedication to the Dakar 2028 venture. Cooperation will reach far past race-tyre supply, with engineers from both sides collaborating to weave rally-raid requirements into Segway's future electric machine.

Michelin will lend its off-road and rally-raid know-how plus tyre and Bib Mousse puncture-prevention expertise, initially guiding Enduro and Desert tyre selection and advising on Bib Mousse choice, fitting and use. Joint workshops will unite Michelin Motorsport specialists with Segway engineers, gathering data under rally-raid-representative conditions to steer later tyre optimisation. With Michelin's Dakar record since 1983 and 40 victories behind it, a joint testing programme will adapt tyres progressively to the motorcycle's final specifications and demands.

Cyriaque Echevin, Michelin Off-Road Tire Marketing Director, said, “True to its pioneering spirit, Michelin is delighted to support the Segway Dakar Rally Factory Team in this particularly ambitious project. Taking on the Dakar Rally with 100 percent electric motorcycles represents an exciting technological challenge, bringing new parameters that we will need to factor into our development work. Our role will extend far beyond supplying tyres: our teams will work alongside Segway’s engineers from the earliest stages of the project, sharing our rally-raid expertise and contributing to the development of the new motorcycle. The Dakar Rally provides an exceptional testing ground for pushing technological boundaries through close collaboration with our partners.”

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Pirelli has chosen a softer trio of compounds for the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, naming the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. That is one step softer than a year ago, when the weekend followed the Sprint format. The race closes the long back-to-back swing through the Americas at the José Carlos Pace circuit.

Fresh asphalt laid during the year between Turns 3 and 5, and again between Turns 8 and 9, could shift grip levels and change how the track evolves. Longer runs may be affected in particular. Across the three free practice sessions, teams will study the new surface and its influence on wear and degradation.

Last year, degradation was a decisive technical theme in São Paulo. Graining came in milder than feared, but the C2 Hard of that weekend tended to slide, and the C3 and C4 wore heavily while still supporting competitive stints. A two-stop race proved the strongest approach.

Interlagos produces broadly average lateral forces overall, mixing fast corners with long straights, so the layout is not especially punishing. Loads fall fairly evenly between front and rear axles. Overtaking chances are plentiful, giving strategists room to manoeuvre, yet degradation management has usually decided who performs best, making the trade-off between one-lap speed and long-run durability central to trackside work.

Rain and sharp temperature swings are familiar at this venue given its calendar slot, so Intermediate and Full Wet tyres may again feature. In 2025, Medium and Soft dominated a wide spread of strategies, with most teams choosing two stops after an early neutralisation triggered pit visits. Pit windows differed by driver, opening gaps that aided overtaking; only two drivers stopped once, and Hard tyres appeared in just a few brief stints.

Interlagos has staged 42 Grands Prix, 37 of them titled the Brazilian Grand Prix between 1973 and 2019 before the São Paulo name returned in 2021. Michael Schumacher leads with four wins, while Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen hold three each; Ferrari and McLaren share nine team victories. The special Podium Cap, designed by Denis Dekovic for Pirelli Design and inspired by Brazil's 1958 blue football shirt with a jaguar-pattern finish, is on sale via Pirelli's e-commerce platform.

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Dunlop Motorcycle Europe is celebrating a successful conclusion to the 2026 Campeonato de España de Superbike (ESBK) campaign, with five of its equipped riders securing titles at the Sunday finale at Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto. The brand claimed five of the series' eight championships, four of them in open-tyre competition classes, after a tightly contested season spanning Spain and Portugal.

The ESBK's open-tyre rules in several classes give Dunlop a direct benchmark against competing manufacturers. The company backed riders throughout the year in Superbike, Supersport, Supersport 300, Superstock 600, Superstock 1000 and Pre-Talent. Four of those classes allow any tyre brand, while Dunlop is the sole supplier for Supersport 300 and Pre-Talent.

The Superbike, Superstock 600 and Pre-Talent crowns all remained undecided going into Jerez. Honda Laglisse's Javier Palomera clinched Superbike ahead of Dunlop-backed Ivo Lopes of BMW Easyrace Team, runner-up in the open-tyre class; the same squad also took Superstock 1000 through Mauro González. José Luis Armario won the last Superstock 600 race of the year, and in Supersport, Team Speed Racing's Marcos Ludeña placed second with Team Honda Laglisse's Yeray Ruiz third, giving Dunlop two of three open-tyre podium slots. In the Dunlop-only classes, Marc Vich took Supersport 300 and the Kawasaki Ninja Spirit Trophy, while Marcos Vinagre won Pre-Talent at Jerez, leading an all-Dunlop podium alongside Javier Vigueras and Jose Luis Cagigas.

Dunlop's ESBK programme uses its KR racing slick line, covering both development and catalogue specifications, with wet tyres also available. Data from real race weekends helps the brand validate new products before they reach other championships and track-day use. Dunlop's racing footprint also takes in the Campionato Italiano Velocità, which produced six more Dunlop champions in 2026, and the FIM Endurance World Championship, where a fresh multi-year deal makes Dunlop the sole supplier to the Superstock and Production Trophy classes.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “It's great to see Dunlop-equipped riders achieve such strong results in the 2026 ESBK season, with championship titles secured across multiple categories and two all-Dunlop podiums in Supersport 300 and Pre-Talent. We're incredibly proud of what our riders and teams have achieved this season and of the role Dunlop has played in their success. These results are a testament to their dedication and hard work throughout the year. Congratulations to all the newly crowned champions.”

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Tegeta Green Planet, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organised an information and practical campaign titled ‘Don’t Throw It Away, Hand It In’ in Poti. Held on 29 October at a Tegeta Motors branch, the initiative sought to strengthen environmental responsibility and promote proper management of specific waste streams.

The campaign targeted local residents, vehicle owners, drivers and private sector representatives, encouraging their active involvement in waste management. Attendees learned about the environmental impact of automotive waste and correct disposal methods. A dedicated collection point at the branch allowed residents to hand in end-of-life tyres, used batteries and waste oils, offering a practical way to contribute to environmental protection through everyday actions.

A significant focus was placed on raising awareness about the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, including the role of EPR organisations, collection and subsequent management of specific waste streams and importers’ legally established obligations. Symbolic gifts encouraged participation. Tegeta Green Planet and UNDP continue to implement regional environmental campaigns and educational initiatives aimed at raising public awareness, fostering responsible waste management and promoting circular economy principles.

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