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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Goodyear kicks off its latest European Le Mans Series campaign this weekend in Barcelona, where it remains the sole tyre provider for the LMP2, LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3 classes. The season opener at the 4 Hours of Barcelona will see 37 cars racing on Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres at a circuit infamous for pushing both tyre performance and pit strategy to their limits.

What makes the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya so demanding is the constant dilemma it creates for team strategists. The common practice of running two stints on a single set of tyres offers valuable time savings by reducing pit stops, but that benefit must be weighed against the gradual loss of grip over many laps. Goodyear anticipates this very calculation will once again shape the outcome of the 4-hour contest.

For the LMGT3 category, the hard compound of the Racing Eagle has been chosen specifically to endure Barcelona’s abrasive surface, a tyre previously proven on tough tracks like São Paulo, Austin and Bahrain in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Meanwhile, LMP2 contenders will run Goodyear’s newest Eagle slick, a specification introduced at Le Castellet last season that now becomes the fixed LMP2 tyre for the full 2026 ELMS season and for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this June.

Beyond the dry tyres, each class is also equipped with a Racing Eagle wet tyre whose tread pattern is designed to channel away water and sustain grip in the rain. Goodyear’s presence this weekend extends far beyond Spain, as its Racing Eagle tyres are also competing at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee across three NASCAR series and at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California.

Stephen Bickley, Goodyear Endurance Program Manager, said, “Barcelona is demanding on tyres, with long, high speed corners and a layout that typically places enormous load on the front-left. That high stress is exactly why we’ve chosen the Eagle Hard compound for LMGT3 this weekend: it can withstand the aggressive wear and degradation, giving teams the confidence to plan their strategies and decide whether double-stinting will deliver the best race performance.”

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Kumho Tire USA has announced a significant contribution to the Tire Industry Association’s Tire Industry Scholarship programme, which operates in collaboration with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF). Over the next five years, Kumho will donate USD 5,000 annually, resulting in a total pledge of USD 25,000 aimed at supporting the next generation of professionals in the tyre and automotive service sectors.

This scholarship programme provides USD 2,500 awards to students who are pursuing higher education or vocational training directly related to the tyre and automotive service industry. By administering these funds through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, the programme seeks to build a stronger talent pipeline for the industry through educational support.

Kumho Tire now joins a growing list of member companies from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) that have chosen to back this scholarship effort. The programme was first established in November 2025, and Kumho’s commitment reinforces the collective drive to invest in future workforce development.

Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, "Our five-year pledge to the TIA Scholarship programme reflects KUMHO's broader commitment to developing and supporting the next generation of tyre industry professionals. We are proud to invest in education and help provide greater opportunities for the future workforce who will shape our industry."

Dick Gust, CEO, Tire Industry Association, said, "Kumho Tire USA's generous commitment is a powerful investment in the future of our industry. By supporting the Tire Industry Scholarship programme, they are helping to build a stronger, more skilled workforce and opening doors for the next generation of industry professionals."

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The Dunlop RoadSmart IV has emerged as the top performer in the latest road tyre test conducted by renowned German publication MOTORRAD. This premium sport touring tyre received high marks for its outstanding handling characteristics and its ability to deliver balanced performance regardless of weather or road surface conditions. The victory adds to Dunlop’s growing list of independent testing successes this year, following a similar overall win for the SportSmart mk4 in an earlier sport tyre comparison.

In the test, MOTORRAD fitted three road focused tyres to a BMW R 1300 GS using the specific sizes of 120/70 R19 at the front and 170/60 R17 at the rear. The RoadSmart IV secured first place overall in the road tyre category, demonstrating class leading wet performance while also tying for the best results in the dry sub category. This achievement marks the second time in half a decade that this particular tyre has claimed top honours in a MOTORRAD test.

Testers were especially impressed by the tyre’s precise dry handling and the clear feedback it provides to the rider. They observed that the RoadSmart IV turns in more easily than its rivals, making it highly recommended for motorcycles that tend to have sluggish steering behaviour. On the BMW test bike, the tyre felt stable rather than unsettled, excelling with high cornering speed, solid grip at maximum lean angle and extremely accurate feedback. In wet conditions, the tyre offered easy manoeuvring ability through fast cornering sequences, with its precise communication clearly signalling the limits in a user-friendly manner.

MOTORRAD summarised the RoadSmart IV as an incredible all-rounder that combines excellent handling with top performance in all conditions, even suggesting that riders on a GS could use it to annoy superbike riders. Thanks to its strong showing on both dry and wet surfaces, the tyre also earned the magazine’s coveted Kauftipp, or purchase recommendation, award.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “This result for RoadSmart IV reinforces our goal to deliver a perfect balance of outstanding dry performance and exceptional wet grip and precise handling, even after several thousand kilometres. We’re proud to see it recognised once again as a benchmark in the sport touring segment.”

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The JK Tyre - WIAA Women's Car Rally to Valley 2026 took off on 28 March from NSCI, Mumbai, with a flag-off ceremony led by Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) Chairman Nitin Dossa and JK Tyre officials. Over 200 women participated, decorating their vehicles around themes like cancer awareness, gender equality and women’s empowerment before driving towards the Novotel Imagicaa hotel in Khopoli.

Families and supporters gathered at the start, creating a festival-like mood as participants wore themed attire. The rally follows a Time-Speed-Distance format, rewarding precision and teamwork over speed, with contestants navigating hilly roads for about 125 kilometres to the finish.

Organised by the 107-year-old non-profit Western India Automobile Association, which advocates for safe mobility, road safety, environmental sustainability and policy change, the event has become a platform celebrating womanhood and resilience. This year’s edition reinforced the global road safety messages of #CommitToLife and #BeSafeBeStrong.

JK Tyre has long supported women in motorsport through dedicated initiatives, and its continued partnership with the WIAA Women’s Car Rally reflects a belief that motorsport can drive meaningful change both on and off the road.

Srinivasu Allaphan, Director – Sales & Marketing, JK Tyre & Industries, said, “For over a decade, we have been committed to encouraging women’s participation in motorsport, and the JK Tyre–WIAA Women’s Car Rally to Valley stands as a testament to that vision. Now a marquee event, the rally celebrates the spirit of motorsport while championing important social causes. We are encouraged by the strong enthusiasm of the participants as we continue to build greater awareness around road safety.”

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