As I speak with industry members, regulators and legislators I continue to be stunned by the lack of appreciation of the very critical role that tyres play in our societies.

Governments bleat about fuel security “investing” precious currency to prop up petroleum fuel storage and production in the face of the ever-expanding development of electric vehicles and more recently the advent of hydrogen as a viable fuel with thanks to the PV (solar) industry advancements. Tyres? What do you mean tyres? Without tyres our societies would grind to a halt in the near term. How are they not a strategic consideration?

Our industries (tyre, road freight transport, mining, public transport and leisure) are facing sufficient difficulties with COVID as well as international shipping challenges to be faced with continued ignorance and negligence by our legislators and regulators.

Please review your countries legislative requirements in regards tyre inflation for light vehicles (say <4,500 kgs) and then the same requirement for heavy vehicles (>4,500 kgs). What do you find?

Mostly I think you will find that tyre inflation pressures are regulated for light vehicles via the vehicle manufacturers tyre placard. For heavy vehicles there is little, if any, such requirement. To illustrate the yawning gap between reality and regulation one peak heavy transport regulatory body published a procedure for roller brake testing for heavy vehicles. The procedure details in minute detail the requirements of the pneumatic system on the truck under test yet merely stated “tyres should be inflated.” As everyone in the tyre industry understands a tyre can be inflated at low pressures totally unrelated to actual operating pressures. What connects the brakes to the pavement? Tyres!

I’ve spoken at length about the absolute requirement for a tyre to be appropriately inflated. This is basic physics, the air molecules captured within the tyre’s air chamber actually support the applied loads. If there are insufficient molecules of air the tyre will be overworked so overheat and so enter a failure phase. There are other requirements for the inflation being the actual shaping of the tyre to interface with the pavement at the optimum level, read traction. A wide based tyre requires special construction to maintain the tread platform shape. If the inflation pressure is not at the manufacturer’s specified level will this critical shape be maintained? Then it is not only the performance of the tyre in question but also the safety of the vehicle and that of the general public in the areas this vehicle operates in.

The extensive report produced by the TNO Organisation (TNO 2013 R10986) detailed not only the exhaust emissions as a result of inappropriately inflated tyres but also the road safety outcomes. This paper is now just over eight years old but the situation with real time pressure monitoring for heavy vehicles remains as it was, 50 years or more ago. WHY? Are our regulators asleep at the wheel (or tyre some may say) through entrenched inaction and ignorance? Or is it that there are just “no votes” in tyres and everyone just ASSuMes their tyres are “ok”?

EV tyres

With the advent of electric vehicles, the ramifications for tyres are huge. In the past internal combustion engines (ICE) built up torque over a rev range, drivelines multiplied the torque developed and for heavy vehicles there is a sweet spot for torque. The multi speed gearboxes assisted the driver to maintain forward motion within this torque sweet spot. Electric motors apply maximum torque over most of their operating range. From the instant the power is applied by the driver (be that human or robotic) the tyres are under peak stress. Any deficiency within the tyre will be magnified with detrimental results. Such a deficiency may be of a manufacturing nature but this is largely controllable by the manufacturer. What is not currently controllable is the human maintenance factor, the applied inflation pressure.

Tyre manufacturers have for as long as they have been manufacturing tyres been informative about the criticality of appropriate tyre inflation. There are untold charts and pictorials showing how a tyre is influenced by under or over inflation yet our regulators and legislators continue to keep their heads buried deep out of the light. WHY when tyres are such a critical component of our modern-day motor vehicle? I would charge ignorance and negligence on one hand but then on the other suggest that because tyres work as well as they do, are as forgiving (by nature of their fundamental flexible design) our “guiding powers” can focus on other trendy and glamorous aspects such as stability control or autonomous braking. An important question for these people to consider and respond to; “what item on the vehicle transfers the power (and so directly influence these vehicle control systems) from the vehicle to the pavement (be that power tractive or retardation)? Yes of course, the humble tyre.

So, when a government sponsored or publicly funded body involved in road safety ignores tyres (for whatever reason, ignorance or negligence) are they really serving the interests of our communities and societies or are they just -- I should stop there but you know where I’m going!

The technology to monitor tyre pressures in real time is and has now been available for decades. The TREAD Act (USA) mandated tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS) for light vehicles in the USA in the year 2000. This year TPMS gets a key for its birthday, yes well and truly a mature product (some may say adult) and industry yet, our regulators and legislators continue to ignore the humble tyre.

The upsides of maintaining tyres at an appropriate pressure I’ve discussed previously, all positive. The same detail has been published in many papers (such as the TNO paper!) but we as an industry continue to live in the past whilst adopting hi-tech solutions for other aspects of our industries, e.g., GPS tracking, fatigue monitoring, reefer monitoring and control, real time video surveillance of the drivers and the surrounding traffic conditions. Why? To me there is little respect paid to the critical role the tyre provides for us. So many users do not consider how the tyre works for them and why the simplest of tasks will enhance the performance, yes, I speak of inflation maintenance. Without respect the tyre will never be recognised for the contribution it has made and continues to make.

I publicly and openly challenge our tyre manufacturers as a collective to mount an education campaign to enhance the level of respect the general public has about tyres. The TIA (US) and USTMA have local campaigns on behalf of their members but I consider that until the tyre manufacturers as a collective industry actual improve the level of respect for the humble tyre we will be chasing our tails on a race to the bottom. Our tyres deserve better!

What about Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, BKT, Dunlop, ZC Rubber, Hankook, Pirelli, Toyo, Sumitomo, Yokohama, Kumho, MRF, Apollo, Nokian, JKTyres, Cooper, Titan, Linglong, Triangle et al?

Remember success does not reward a lack of action. (TT)

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Hankook Tire has entered a five-year partnership with Racing America, a US motorsports company, becoming the official tyre partner and exclusive racing tyre supplier for its major series from 2027 through 2031. The agreement was signed at Hankook’s Tennessee plant on 25 September local time.

Under the deal, Hankook will exclusively supply racing tyres to Racing America’s major series while collaborating on technical and engineering support, trackside services and joint marketing initiatives. The company will begin supporting Trans Am, a leading US road racing series, and International GT, a premium sports car racing series. It will also renew partnerships with Racing America’s Formula ladder series, which it has backed since 2019.

Trans Am, established in 1966, is a historic series featuring muscle cars with nearly six decades of competition. International GT showcases premium sports cars, while Racing America’s Formula ladder focuses on developing the next generation of formula drivers. Through the partnership, Hankook aims to display its racing tyre technology across North American motorsports and strengthen its premium brand position. Fan engagement will expand through exclusive tyre supply, technical and trackside support, event branding, digital and broadcast exposure and social media activities.

Globally, Hankook supplies racing tyres and supports teams at more than 70 motorsports events, including the FIA World Rally Championship. In North America, it continues expanding its premium presence through partnerships with major events such as the off-road racing event King of the Hammers.

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Dr Suttipong Angthong, Secretary-General of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), served as a panellist at the Economic Forum 2026, hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on 25 September 2026 at the Imperial Lexis Hotel. The event, titled ‘Bridging the Two Borders: Elevating Thailand – Malaysia Resilient Value Chains in Halal and Rubber Industries’, gathered government agencies, industry players, chambers of commerce, academia and think-tanks from both nations. H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Thailand's Ambassador to Malaysia, delivered welcoming remarks, followed by opening remarks from YB Tuan Haji Akmal Nasrullah bin Mohd Nasir, Malaysia's Minister of Economy.

Dr Angthong participated in Panel Session 2, titled ‘Strategic Partnership in Action: Advancing Thailand–Malaysia Sustainable Rubber Value Chain’, moderated by the Centre for IMT-GT Subregional Cooperation. Fellow panellists represented the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, Thai Eastern Group Holdings PCL, the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority and the Malaysian Rubber Board. Discussions centred on upstream-downstream cooperation, border economic corridors, joint research and development, international standards compliance and safeguarding smallholders and grassroots stakeholders.

Dr Angthong outlined the natural rubber market landscape and challenges confronting ANRPC member nations, including sustainability and traceability demands in importing markets, price volatility and the imperative to increase value addition within producing countries.

“ANRPC welcomes cooperation among its member countries that supports a sustainable and resilient natural rubber sector. Regional dialogue of this kind helps members share experience on value addition, standards compliance and smallholder welfare. ANRPC will continue to support its members with statistics, market analysis and a platform for cooperation,” said Dr Angthong.

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Pirelli has confirmed the C2, C3 and C4 compounds as Hard, Medium and Soft for Formula 1’s return to Sepang International Circuit after a nine-year absence. The Malaysian venue replaces the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was not staged in April, and will test teams with machinery and tyres far removed from those used at the last race there in 2017.

Situated near Kuala Lumpur, the 5.543-kilometre circuit mixes long straights with high-speed corners, especially through the middle sector. Its medium energy demands place it in a severity range similar to Spa-Francorchamps and Shanghai, while ambient and track temperatures will make thermal degradation a central concern across the weekend.

Pirelli’s slightly more aggressive selection, compared with a more conservative harder trio, aims to broaden strategic options and narrow the gap between one-stop and two-stop approaches. Sepang’s abrasive surface is comparable in roughness to Bahrain, although grip is expected to be low on Friday before improving as the track evolves. Managing heat across both axles will be a principal difficulty.

The circuit has been modified in recent years, including resurfacing between Turns 6 and 12 in 2023 and further work around Turn 9. Additional levelling began in early September to remove asphalt irregularities, alongside cleaning to improve conditions. Pirelli engineers recently found the surface’s overall characteristics still closely matched those recorded in 2017.

Teams face a shortage of relevant data for the current car generation, making Friday practice unusually important for drivers familiarising themselves with a track many know only from simulators and for teams assessing balance and tyre behaviour. Afternoon thunderstorms, intense heat and high humidity could add further complexity, while Sepang hosts its 20th Grand Prix and remains a venue where Sebastian Vettel leads with four wins, Ferrari tops teams with seven and Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton share the pole record.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) participated in CSCAP 2026, a regional forum on Accelerating Sustainable Consumption and Production for Climate Justice and Value Chain Resilience in Asia-Pacific. The event took place on 23–24 September 2026 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. ANRPC was represented by Secretary-General Dr Suttipong Angthong upon the organisers' invitation.

The two-day forum was organised by AFMA, FeedUP@UN, Sustainism and the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT). It gathered policymakers, industry leaders, smallholder cooperatives, civil society organisations, climate scientists and development practitioners from across Asia-Pacific. Discussions centred on SDG 12, SDG 13 and SDG 15, emphasising links between high-level policy and practical implementation in natural rubber, coconut and sugarcane sectors.

Rubber figured heavily in the discussions. On day one, a high-level panel examined sustainable rubber and derivatives, traceability and deforestation-free supply chains, weighing how producing countries handle the EU Deforestation Regulation, cross-border compliance and national biodiversity frameworks from farm to tyre. Later sessions explored affordable monitoring, reporting and verification tools for smallholders, sustainability-linked finance and a rights-based approach to climate justice.

Dr Angthong shared ANRPC's perspective on conditions in producing countries, where smallholders account for the vast majority of global output. He emphasised that sustainability requirements must be paired with practical support, fair pricing and affordable traceability solutions. This, he argued, would ensure smallholders are not shut out of sustainable markets but instead benefit from the transition.

Dr Angthong said, “Natural rubber is the livelihood of millions of smallholder families across our member countries. The shift towards deforestation-free, low-carbon supply chains is an opportunity for our sector – but only if it is inclusive. CSCAP 2026 provided a valuable platform for producers, buyers, regulators and financiers to work together on solutions that are credible, affordable and fair to farmers. ANRPC will continue to serve as the voice of producing countries in shaping these solutions.”

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