Gaurav Gill is a well-known name in the motorsports fraternity. He learnt to drive a car at the age of 10 and started drifting in cars by the age of 13. His first pro race was at the young age of 16yrs when he started racing motocross all over India until his accident in 2015. His first race on four wheels was in 2003 at the Formula Maruti Championship.

He went on to win championships from 2004, by 2006 he had won multiple National Racing Championships. The big jump in his career came in 2007 when he started racing at the Asia Pacific Rally Championship. He was also given the coveted Arjuna Award, the top recognition to sports achievers by the Indian government.

Tyre Trends talked to Gaurav

You’ve been racing since 2003, over the years, you’ve had many victories. How important a role have tyres played in your races?

Tyres often play one of the most important roles and most people underestimate this, you can have all the power you want but if you don’t have the right tyre it’s never going to be of any use !

Choosing the right set of tyres for the right race is crucial. Do you have a checkpoint list that you go through to determine which tyre you should use for a rally race?

Yes, there are several checklists. Surface, Surface temperatures, air temperature, overall day weather...

The ever-changing ground conditions between stages and the notoriously different terrain … how do you manage to keep your cars tyres at their optimum performance level?

Yes, rallying is a complex sport. The conditions are constantly changing. We have repeat stages, but the conditions can change dramatically and the tyre performance can be vastly affected. It’s important to understand the limit of the tyres and to be driving to the conditions within the tyre limit is the key to survival.

 As an experienced rally driver, do you weigh in on the choice of tyres needed for a race?

Yes, of course, the right tyre compound can be the easy decider when it comes to winning or losing. It’s one of the key factors for a successful result.

At the Gaurav Gill Advanced Driving Academy are there any key points that you emphasise on when it comes to tyres?

Absolutely! Rallying is a sport where the driver doesn’t have much traction due to the surface conditions so the driver has to be smart enough to create traction for himself accordingly. Tyres are one the main tools a driver has apart from mechanical grip which works in tandem. To be able to use the tyre to its potential and not overuse it is what we emphasise on as it can be the most crucial point during an event.

Any advice for young rally aspirants?

Focus and dedication are very important in any sport. Never use public roads to practice!

The school

The Gaurav Gill Advanced Driving Academy is all about the science behind driving. The academy has given opportunities to men, women of all ages and even teenagers as young as 14-years old to witness a world class level of rally driving from Gaurav Gill and to be educated and trained by Gaurav Gill along with his self-trained instructors to take their driving levels par excellence.

GG-ADA has hosted schools in Delhi and around Coimbatore on the legendary rally stages of the Indian Rally C’ship giving an opportunity to the participants to reach speeds of up to 150 kmph on natural gravel roads. GG ADA is all about selling the highest driving standards to people not only in India but internationally also including FIA African champion who is regularly trained under Gaurav Gill.

The idea in the future is to open the academy with 5-6 rally cars with JK Tyre branding, support and using the JK Rally Tyres in India and make this into a permanent facility with rally cars & instructors available in the South and the north of India to be hosted by GG on monthly basis and also to attract corporate clients and make it into commercially viable weekend getaway for the adventure & the adrenaline junkie. Gaurav Gill also plans to create an alliance with the Indian Armed forces and the Traffic police spreading awareness of safe driving and smart driving through GG-ADA.

Bridgestone Corporation has announced that it will participate in the upcoming 40th Space Symposium, the largest space-related conference in the United States. The company is all prepped up to display two concept models of its second-generation lunar rover tyre at the event, scheduled to be held from 7 to 10 April 2025 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, US.

The new concept models can be used on small and medium-sized lunar rovers since they are lighter than their predecessors. In order to satisfy the rigorous requirements of lunar exploration, Bridgestone started developing lunar tyres in 2019 and is still improving their designs. The company claims that the display would provide a platform for growing its network in the space industry and opening doors for future cooperation. By entering into a partnership with Astrobotic Technology, Inc., a US-based business that specialises in space exploration, in 2024, Bridgestone has already made strides in this direction.

Bridgestone, which has over 90 years of expertise in tyre development, is bringing its understanding of Earth-based mobility, particularly motorsport, to the difficulties of space flight. In order to improve performance and safety during lunar exploration, the business wants to create tyres that can be customised to meet the demands of individual customers or mission specifications. Additionally, the lunar rover tyre project furthers Bridgestone's more comprehensive Mid-Term commercial Plan (2024–2026), which places a strong focus on innovative commercial ventures like the ‘AirFree Concept’.

Bridgestone will be on display at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Japan's Space Industry stand in South Hall #111 of the BAE Systems Exhibit Center. Along with its exhibit, Bridgestone will take part in a panel discussion with Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation and Space Foundation, the event organiser.

JK Tyre & Industries, a leading tyre manufacturer in the country, has expanded its retail presence with the inauguration of the JK Tyre Truck Wheels Centre in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

The facility is designed to be a one-stop shop for all tyre needs, which will be operated by Hemkunt Transport Company. It was inaugurated by  Sanjeev Sharma, Associate Vice-President – Mobility Solutions, JK Tyre & Industries, along with other senior officials of the company.

The company shared that the location was selected because of its strategic position and will cater to needs of fleet operations and commercial vehicle owners in the city and surrounding areas. The new JK Tyre Trucks Wheel Centre spread across 7,500 sqft with highly trained technical advisors, will provide wheel servicing services and the company’s full range of smart tyres, fuel-efficient tyres and other product range for commercial vehicles.

Srinivasu Allaphan, Director – Sales & Marketing, JK Tyre & Industries, said, "At JK Tyre, our priority is to enhance convenience and reliability for our customers by expanding our reach to key transport corridors. With this new Truck Wheels Centre in Muzaffarnagar, we are bringing world-class tyre solutions closer to fleet operators and truck owners who rely on efficient, high-performance tyres for their business. This expansion is a step forward in strengthening our service network and ensuring our customers receive the best-in-class solutions with ease, across the nation.”

At present, JK Tyre & Industries has a network of over 850 exclusive Brand Shops and 6,000 plus channel partners across the country.

Italian machinery manufacturer Rodolfo Comerio has been recognised with the prestigious “Excellent Partner” award by Linglong Tire, one of the world’s leading tyre producers, during celebrations marking the Chinese company’s 50th anniversary.

The accolade was presented at the “2025 Linglong Tire Global Equipment Suppliers Conference,” which was part of an international event called “Driving Collaborative Growth with Linglong Tire.” The conference gathered major machinery suppliers from across the tyre industry.

According to the Italian firm, the award acknowledges Rodolfo Comerio’s exceptional calendaring line performance, commitment to innovation, quality after-sales service, and consistent presence in the Chinese market.

Nicola Fedele, Sales & Marketing Managing Director at Rodolfo Comerio, expressed his gratitude: “We are truly honoured to receive this recognition from such a prestigious company like Linglong. Our mission has always been to build strong and lasting relationships based on quality and reliability, and this award confirms the trust Linglong has placed in Rodolfo Comerio. To know that we have played a role in Linglong’s exponential growth thanks to our synergistic work and continuous commitment to meeting and exceeding their expectations is always a great source of pride for us.”

During the ceremony, Linglong Tire’s Chairman Wang Feng delivered a speech highlighting the crucial importance of the Chinese manufacturer’s partnership with Rodolfo Comerio. This relationship of mutual trust has reportedly enabled Linglong to achieve significant milestones and contributed substantially to the company’s growth in both quality and productivity.

Fedele added: “Meeting and being able to talk with  Wang Feng is always a source of inspiration for me. His dedication and foresight are a continuous professional lesson, and they provide a fundamental guide to push us to do better and reach new heights of excellence. His strategic vision motivates us to continue our work with passion and constantly improve our solutions to support the growth of our customers.”

Element Fleet Management Corp., the world’s largest publicly traded automotive fleet manager, has nominated Paolo Ferrari and Tracey McVicar to stand for election to its Board of Directors, the Toronto-listed company announced recently.

The nominations, to be voted on at the firm’s Annual General Meeting on 2 May, come as current board members Andrew Clarke and Arielle-Meloul Wechsler have decided not to seek re-election.

Ferrari brings substantial executive experience to the role, having most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Bridgestone Americas and Bridgestone West, while simultaneously holding the position of Joint Global Chief Operations Officer of Bridgestone Corporation. His prior leadership roles include Chief Executive Officer of Pirelli North America and Latin America, alongside executive positions in telecommunications, technology, and investment banking.

McVicar, a Partner at private equity firm CAI Capital Partners since 2003, previously held senior investment banking positions at Raymond James Ltd. and RBC Capital Markets. Her governance experience includes directorships at Teck Resources Ltd., where she chaired the Audit Committee, and BC Hydro Corporation, where she led the Audit and Finance Committee.

"We are pleased to nominate Paolo Ferrari and Tracey McVicar to our Board," said Element Board Chair Kathleen Taylor. "Paolo and Tracey bring integral skills, perspectives, and experience, and we are confident they will be tremendous assets to the Company. We would also like to thank our outgoing Board members, Andrew Clarke and Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, for their valuable support and contributions to Element."