Pirelli: Press

Pirelli confirmed as exclusive Formula One tyre supplier from 2011

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0200

Pirelli confirmed as exclusive Formula One tyre supplier from 2011 The Italian tyre firm will supply all the Formula One teams from 2011-2013 with six types of tyre: four for dry weather, one for rain and one intermediate tyre.

Pirelli – which has supplied tyres exclusively for the GP3 championship this year – will also supply the GP2 championship from 2011, becoming the sole provider of tyres for the most prestigious single-seater championships in global motorsport.

The Milan-based firm is already present in the World Rally Championship, the World Superbike Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the Motocross World Championship and several other national championships for both cars and bikes.

Pirelli will supply tyres to the Formula One World Championship for a three-year period between 2011 and 2013.

The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), the Teams, represented by FOTA (the Formula One Teams Association), and Formula One's organising body, represented by FOM (Formula One Management) have chosen Pirelli as their exclusive supplier, based on the specific proposals from the Italian company to guarantee technical and operational stability to the competitors.

Following current Formula One regulations laid down by world motorsport's governing body, the FIA, the new contract ensures that Pirelli will provide teams with six different types of tyre for the season: four slicks, with different compounds for various types of dry surfaces, one rain tyre for heavy rain, and one intermediate tyre for damp conditions or light rain.

The current economic climate has led to a realistic and collaborative approach with all the teams, ensuring that manufacturing and logistical costs are shared fairly.

Pirelli's return to Formula One also has a firm eye on the future, as in full collaboration with all the teams, research into innovative new tyre developments is a vital part of this exciting programme.

Pirelli is also proud to announce that it will supply the GP2 World Series – the acknowledged stepping-stone to Formula One – for the three-year period between 2011-2013.

Pirelli's latest participation at the highest levels of single-seater racing make a welcome addition to the celebrated Italian firm's other motorsport activities including, from this year, a tyre supply agreement for the inaugural GP3 series. Pirelli will consequently become the single supplier to all the most prestigious racing championships in the world from 2011.

Pirelli is planning to make important investments in corporate communications, in order to make the most of the high profile and cutting-edge technology that go hand in hand with supplying Formula One, using resources and budget that has already been set aside for this purpose.

This communications campaign will principally help to support Pirelli's increasing profile in emerging markets: Latin America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, which are all areas frequently visted by Formula One.

Consequently Formula One will become a vital calling card for the Pirelli brand, helping its commercial and industrial expansion without disrupting the company's long-term financial strategy.

The global visibility guaranteed through extensive media interest in Formula One, together with dynamic plans to leverage Pirelli's involvement in an activity central to the company's core business, represents a unique opportunity for the brand to maximise its return on investment.

This new Formula One agreement crowns Pirelli's historic involvement in world motorsport, which dates back to 1907 when the Italian fim won the epic Paris-Peking road race. Pirelli currently exclusively supplies some of the most important World Championships for both cars and bikes, such as the GP3 series, the World Rally Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the World Superbike Championship, and the Motocross World Championship. On top of this, Pirelli also supplies more than 70 other national and international championships. The last Grand Prix victory claimed by Pirelli was the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix, with Nelson Piquet driving for Benetton.

Pirelli will be available to provide further details on the tyre supply agreement tomorrow, 24 June 2010, at 2.30 p.m. CEST during a conference call, in which the Chairman of Pirelli & C., Marco Tronchetti Provera, and the CEO of Pirelli Tyre, Francesco Gori, will intervene. Journalists will be able to participate by telephone, with the possibility to ask questions, by calling the number: +39 06 3348 5042 or +39 06 3348 6868 or +39 06 33168 and then dialing *0 . (Emergency line for problems to connect: +39 06 334844 or +39 06 33444 551).

The presentation will also be available via webcast – in real time – on the website www.pirelli.com in the Media – Press Area section.

More information, as well as photographs and videos, are available at:
www.pirelli.com/web/media/press_area/default.page

THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION SELECTS ITS "PIRELLI STAR DRIVER"

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0200

THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION SELECTS ITS "PIRELLI STAR DRIVER" Mark is the second to be named of five drivers who will benefit from the initiative, organised jointly by Pirelli and the FIA, to give young drivers a foot into the door of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Pirelli Star Driver programme will give five young talents (one each from Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific regions, plus two from Europe) the chance to contest six WRC events in a Group N or S2000 car prepared and run by a top team. The drivers who earn a place on the Pirelli Star Driver scheme next year will get a chance to strut their stuff in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Finland, Spain and Great Britain.

Mark Tapper was chosen to represent the Asia-Pacific region through two events on the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, the Whangarei Rally in New Zealand (which took place from June 7-8) and the Malaysia Rally (from October 11-12). A total of 10 young drivers fighting for the Pirelli Star Driver award took the start of this latter event. Despite the insidiously damp surfaces of the Malaysian stages, Tapper outclassed all his rivals from the Asia-Pacific region - which he and his co-driver Jeff Cress will now represent on the 2009 World Rally Championship.

"Being a rally driver was always my dream, since I first started to become interested in cars as a small kid," said Tapper.

"So winning the Pirelli Star Driver selection process is a satisfaction that I'm not able to put into words," he added.

Two more places on the Pirelli Star Driver programme will be allocated from October 23-25 in Freistadt (Austria). Several up-and-coming European stars, along with one driver from Central America and one from South America, will take part in a shoot-out to determine two more winners.

PIRELLI MAKES ITS MARQUE AT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0200

PIRELLI MAKES ITS MARQUE AT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW Volkswagen's most powerful Golf GTI - the limited edition Pirelli model - made its debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney this week.

Continuing the history of one of the best known limited edition models in VW's history, the Pirelli Golf GTI is just one of many vehicles to turn heads at this years show - that sport the latest in Pirelli's tyre technology.

Based on Pirelli's mantra that "Power is nothing without control", Volkswagen ensured the GTI's chassis, brakes and ESP combine for a well-balanced safety package, with Pirelli contributing a new high-performance tyre to the project: The latest generation P-Zero.

The material mixture and tread pattern of the 225/40 P-Zero is designed to benefit handling, braking, ride comfort and aquaplaning properties, and is wrapped around unique Pirelli alloy wheels.

Pirelli is synonymous with high performance and it's no surprise that virtually every European manufacturer of high-performance vehicles chooses Pirelli tyres for its Original Equipment (OE) fitments.

Other marques at this years show wearing Pirelli rubber are the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, F430 and 612 Scaglietti, the Lamborghini Murciélago and Gallardo, and the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT, GranSport Coupe and Spyder. That fleet of horsepower alone ensures Pirelli sets the standard others follow when it comes to high-performance tyre technology.

Also sporting Pirelli's flagship P-Zero rubber at the show this year is the latest incarnation of the Subaru Rally Team's WRC, and the JAS Motorsport prepared Honda Civic Type R, which is challenging its first season in the Australian Rally Championship.

PIRELLI CONFIRMED SECTOR LEADER IN DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:00:00 +0200

PIRELLI CONFIRMED SECTOR LEADER IN DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW Pirelli has been confirmed world leader in the "Auto Parts and Tyres" segment of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the second year in a row.

The company was the highest ranking in its segment on the basis of the latest global analysis of corporate sustainability leadership by specialist SAM, which evaluated companies' sustainability performance from an economic, social and environmental point of view.

Pirelli has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes since 2002 and is currently listed both in the European Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index (DJSI STOXX) and in the global Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World).

The Pirelli Group consolidated their CSR performance with confirmation of inclusion in the Financial Times Global and European FTSE4Good sustainability indexes following the latest six-monthly review by EIRIS analysts. Pirelli has been listed in these indexes since 2002.

Pirelli's environmental credentials are further enhanced by inclusion in the ASPI EUROZONE® (Advanced Sustainable Performance Indices) Index , the Axia Ethical Index and in the Axia CSR Index.

WRC: THE FACTORY FORDS HAND VICTORY TO LOEB'S PIRELLI-EQUIPPED CITROEN C4

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:00:00 +0200

The Rally New Zealand, which finished in Hamilton on Sunday, has certainly been one of the most dramatic events of the entire season.

After a spin on the opening stage this morning, Sebastien Loeb believed that he had lost the chance to pass the two Scorpion-equipped factory Ford Focus WRCs of Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen.

Instead, an impact with a rock for Latvala and a spin for Hirvonen left the way clear for Loeb and his C4 WRC to claim their eighth win of the season, ahead of team mates Dani Sordo and Marc Marti.

In 2007, Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena had to concede victory in New Zealand to the factory Ford Focus of Marcus Gronholm by just three-tenths of a second.

This year, despite a very different rally that was characterised by tactics, the win also looked like going Ford's way.

Loeb also spun his Pirelli-shod Citroen C4 WRC on the first stage this morning, which seemed to settle things in Ford's favour. But in sport, nothing is ever over until the chequered flag falls or the final whistle blows.

As it turned out, both the factory Ford drivers made crucial mistakes on the penultimate stage of 18 that caused them to lose their advantage over the Citroens of Sordo and Loeb. Latvala was forced to retire, while Hirvonen dropped behind both the French cars.

On the very same stage, a third Ford that was holding a secure fifth place - the Stobart Focus of Francois Duval and Patrick Pivato - went off the road and out of the rally.

Loeb therefore had victory handed to him on a plate, as his co-driver Daniel Elena explained, "I know that it's just one of those things, but I certainly didn't expect a surprise like that right at the finish.

"It was an odd rally right from the start and it finished in an unusual way as well.

"The Scorpion tyres did a more than worthy job, proving once more to be extremely strong."

Loeb finished in front of Sordo-Martì in the second Pirelli Scorpion-equipped Citroen C4 WRC.

The Spanish crew drove an excellent rally, keeping up a good pace but steering clear of major mistakes.

Citroen's one-two, ahead of Mikko Hirvonen's Focus WRC, assumes a vital importance in the drivers' and manufacturers' championship, as Loeb and Citroen have now accumulated a notable advantage over their Ford rivals.

Pirelli's Motorsport Director Paul Hembery highlighted some interesting technical elements to the hard compound Scorpion tyres.

"Once more in New Zealand we had concrete proof that the hard compound Pirelli Scorpion tyres are truly versatile," he said.
"We saw this on the first and second day, where the drivers had to cope with extremely variable conditions, including surfaces that were wet, dry, greasy and abrasive.

"Today the action took place on very slippery gravel, which demonstrated the excellent lateral grip generated by our tyres even when drivers got out of the ruts that marked out the ideal racing line."

PIRELLI TO ROLL OUT INTELLIGENT ‘CYBER' TYRE

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:00 +0200

PIRELLI TO ROLL OUT INTELLIGENT ‘CYBER' TYRE Pirelli is on the verge of releasing its latest innovation: the intelligent tyre, which, thanks to a microchip inserted into the carcass, can supply essential information on the state of the tyre and on road conditions to the driver and car, making the electronic control of the car more efficient. This innovation, from the technicians at Pirelli's Research and Development department, delivers increased active and passive safety when driving.

The "intelligent tyre" will be delivered to market in two stages: the Cyber Tyre Lean and the Cyber Tyre.

Expected to be available in early 2010, the Cyber Lean can register data such as tyre pressure and temperature, as well as the average load of the vehicle, which are essential for safe driving. The Cyber Lean is glued directly onto the inner liner of the tyre and can "read" the data relative to the tyre and send it to the car's on-board computer. Since the device can also detect tyre anomalies, the driver can adopt a correct and safe driving style, and by means of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, it can also store other data such as the type of tyre, the production date and the production site.

The Cyber Tyre "Lean" is self-powered, taking the necessary energy directly from the mechanical vibrations transmitted to the device from the tyre as it turns, so that it also has a zero maintenance cost and low environmental impact.

The Cyber Lean is only the first step in a process which will lead to a tyre that is an actual sensor in itself. The evolution of the Cyber Lean will be the Cyber Tyre: an "intelligent tyre" which will use an even more sophisticated and even smaller electronic device to communicate in real time with the electronic devices of the car, such as the ESP and the ABS, supplying even more detailed and precise information on the state of the tyres. The electronic sensor will be directly inserted into the structure of the tyre, becoming an integral part of its construction.

Thanks to the insertion of a triaxial accelerometer (which can measure acceleration on the 3 Cartesian axes - length, width, and height) and by means of complex algorithms, the Cyber Tyre will also give data on the actual and potential friction coefficients, the force of the contact between tyre and road, and on the load, instantaneously.

The real innovation is that this sensor, unlike the devices on cars today which intervene only after a driving mistake has already been made, will be able to correct wrong behaviour in advance.

PIRELLI & AUDI R8 LIGHT UP ISLAND

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:00:00 +0200

Presented with challenging wintery conditions, the Pirelli P Zero once again proved itself as the world's number one ultra high performance tyre, when it was put through its paces on the heels of Audi's flagship, the awe-inspiring R8, at the fast and flowing Phillip Island race circuit last week.

In both wet and dry conditions, the R8 was tested to its limits by professional drivers including recent Le Mans racer Lucas Luhr, with the Pirelli rubber ensuring that the full potential of the R8 could be realised with confidence.

With 309kW of power at 7800rpm and accelerating from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds, Audi's only choice for it's Supercar was the Pirelli P Zero. Improvements in the tread compound ensured immediate reaction guaranteeing the same high degree of performance from cold as when the tyres were up to temperature.

Having just been voted the most economical Sportscar by TopGear, Pirelli were pleased to
add to the environmental claims of the R8 by supplying tyres that not only performed in terms of grip level but also proved to last for a considerably long time under extreme conditions.

Recent improvements in rolling resistance and the new Dynamic Asymmetric Contour (DACo) technology ensured regular wear and consistency in the performance meaning a minimal changeover rate. In fact "the only challenge due to wear was having to return the tyres we didn't use at the track" commented Simon Pool Pirelli's Technical Director and Asia Pacific Head of Motorsport.

The Pirelli Pzero is available through Pirelli Approved Dealers Australia wide and available in over 40 sizes including some runflat options. Visit www.pirelli.com.au for more information on the P Zero and to locate your nearest dealer.

PIRELLI FAN SET TO ‘FINISH IN ITALY'

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 +0200

PIRELLI FAN SET TO ‘FINISH IN ITALY' Brisbane local Maria Wallace is the envy of her friends and family after winning the trip of a lifetime - simply by purchasing a set of Pirelli tyres.

A long time fan of Pirelli tyres, Maria's continued loyalty paid off when she won the recent "Finish in Italy" competition hosted by Pirelli dealers. Maria's lucky entry came via the Bob Jane T-Marts in Coorparoo.

Maria's prize is an expenses paid trip for two to Finland where she and a friend will receive the VIP treatment at round nine of the World Rally Championship. From there they will fly on to Italy, the home of Pirelli, before returning to Australia at the end of a memorable 10 day break.

This amazing trip might never have happened as Maria thought the initial congratulatory phone call was a hoax.

"It was only when I received the second phone call the following day that I realised it wasn't a joke … it's not everyday you win something like this," Maria said.

"My friends say it is karma and that good things were bound to happen to me … I am planning to retire next year and this trip serves as my pre-retirement reward," she added.

By offering this trip, Pirelli is celebrating its status as the official tyre supplier of the World Rally Championship.

GET A GRIP THIS WINTER, CHECK YOUR TYRE TREAD

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:00 +0200

Pirelli is urging motorists to check the tread on their tyres this winter in preparation for the wet, slippery conditions that are the norm for this time of year.

"It is important to have sufficient tread on your tyres, this is what gives you grip on the roads, and it is grip that helps prevent accidents in the wet," Pirelli Brand Ambassador and V8 Supercar Champion Craig Lowndes said.

"Pirelli recommends that the tyre tread be around 3-4mm deep in winter - anything less and you're looking for trouble."

Tread depth is something that is rarely considered by most people and Pirelli wants to change this attitude.

"A lot of research goes into Pirelli's tread design to ensure you have maximum grip with the road in a variety of conditions," Lowndes said.

"Sufficient tread depth allows dirt and water to be ejected from the tyre so that contact can be maintained.

A worn tyre is a concern in the best of conditions, but in the wet it can be extremely dangerous," Lowndes added.

Regular tyre rotation can also help reduce irregular tyre wear prolonging the life of the tyre, and maintains safe tread depths.

"Rotating the tyres regularly is a very simple, effective procedure that helps extend the life of your tyres," Lowndes said.

"Of course sometimes rapid tyre wear occurs when a vehicle is not mechanically sound. This can be averted with regular servicing."

To ensure that the tyre tread depth of your vehicle is safe and that the overall tyre condition is up to scratch, Pirelli suggests the following five-point safety check be performed this winter.

1. Inspect all tyres, including the spare;
2. Ensure that tread depth across the tread face of the tyre is not less than a match head deep; ie. 1.6mm.
3. Make sure there are no cuts, cracks or bulges to the outside sidewall of the tyre;
4. Check that the inflation pressures are in accordance with the recommendations of the car manufacturer (details can be found on the vehicle's tyre placard usually located in the glove box or on the front door pillar);
5. Make sure that tyres are fitted with metal or hard plastic valve caps (with a rubber seal) to prevent dirt and debris jamming the valve and causing a slow leak of air.

The Five-Point Safety Check is done best when the tyres are cold, so ideally in your driveway at home.
Pirelli recommends motorists contact their local Pirelli Approved Dealer if they have any concerns or questions. Call 1300 300 008 or visit www.pirelli.com.au to find your nearest dealer.

PIRELLI UNLEASHES NEW WINTER HERO

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:00:00 +0200

Pirelli has launched their new Winter Sottozero Serie II onto the European market with a spectacular event involving testing the new tyre on the Matterhorn Glacier.

Winter Sottozero Serie II is the high performance Pirelli winter tyre, developed to respond to the needs of the most demanding drivers and able to read and adapt to all asphalt conditions of autumn and winter. The features of the new Pirelli tyre are safety and respect for the environment, and it has been created to guarantee the best performance and reliability not only on snow or ice, but also on wet, slushy, slippery or simply freezing roads typical of the cold season.

Porsche , Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo have already chosen the new Pirelli winter product for their cars as first equipment.

The innovative tread of Winter Sottozero Serie II has been created to reduce aquaplaning and increase lateral force and grip, thanks to a system of grooves that guarantees a superior adherence on all road surfaces.