IN TOUCH MOTORSPORT NEWS ISSUE 6 SEPTEMBER ’09

Three Dunlop Class wins in Portugal

THIS ISSUE: Indianapolis/ Brno MotoGP Algarve/ Nurburgring LMS Red Bull Rookie Cup

DOWNLOAD IMAGE THREE CLASS WINS AT PORTIMAO FOR DUNLOP The Portuguese circuit of Portimao hosted the third race, neither anticipated before the start. A large consecutive race win three weeks later at the a 22-lap cushion at the chequered flag. Le Mans Series race at the beginning of August. It weather front which flooded Lisbon missed the Nurburgring in . turned out to be a happy hunting ground for Dunlop, Algarve region as the race progressed and the small There was high drama in the GT2 class involving setting a new benchmark in performance by winning undulating circuit, highly praised by the drivers with Olivier Pla, sharing with team owner Miguel Amaral, some minor collisions on the opening lap with each of the three classes in which the motorsport its fast blind bends, did not cause the associated led from the start, and only a long pit stop late in the championship drivers. JMW Motorsport Ferrari driver tyre manufacturer competes. With the sun hot problems many of the teams feared. third hour when the car stuck in gear, delayed them Rob Bell completed much of the opening stint with enough to split stones, the race started late in the on their way to the victory. a damaged tyre having been hit by another Ferrari. summer afternoon, when the ambient temperatures Instead, the race ran perfectly, and almost The team worked their way back into contention, dipped to below 30 degrees Centigrade, and certainly will feature on the calendar for next In the GT1 class, the Luc Alphand Aventures Chevrolet and took the win by a narrow margin. “This was brought a touch of Le Mans glamour to the event as season. That will please the Quifel Team ASM, Corvette team, which switched to Dunlop tyres this a team effort, and we had the best car, team and the 1000km event ran into the night. The chequered which took its first victory of the year on home season, won by a comfortable margin. Their nearest tyre,” said Bell. “Looking at the results today, this flag fell after 1am after a dry and largely incident-free ground, and set the scene to win the second challengers stopped with a broken floor, offering them was a great day for Dunlop.”

DOWNLOAD IMAGE DOWNLOAD IMAGE Portuguese win in LMP2 Miguel Amaral and his Portuguese Quifel ASM Ginetta-Zytek sports car team achieved two major 1,000 kilometre victories in August, winning the Le Mans Series LMP2 divi- sion at the Algarve, and again at the Nürburgring three weeks later. Amaral and his French co-driver Olivier Pla need only to finish safely the next round, at Silverstone on September 13, to claim the driver and teams championships for Dunlop. Jim McWirt- er’s Dunlop equipped JMW Ferrari team lost its lead in the GT2 championship with a broken driveshaft, the first ‘zero’ of the season for Gianmaria Bruni and Rob Bell. DOWNLOAD IMAGE

HERBERT BACK ON DUNLOPS FOR BTCC SILVERSTONE DEBUT Le Mans legend was back on alongside and . Dunlop race tyres again last weekend for his Herbert’s BTCC weekend got off to a promising first appearance in the BTCC (British Touring start, scoring points in race two with an eighth Car Championship). The ex-formula 1 driver place finish and was looking promising for a top was at the wheel of the Team Dynamic’s four finish in race three until he was knocked Civic having signed for the last three off the track by Jason Plato. The British rounds of the championship to replace driver driver was obviously adapting quickly to James Thompson. Herbert has historical the Dunlop slicks and wets, taking his ties with Dunlop, in 1991 he become the points in race two under wet conditions. first driver to take victory at Le Mans with a The BTCC now moves to the Japanese manufacturer, piloting the Dunlop Rockingham circuit for the penultimate shod to the chequered flag round on the 20th September. DUNLOP.EU GOES LIVE... The new website Dunlop.eu brings you all the latest news and up-to-date racing action. You can also view all of Dunlop’s InTouch newsletters, up-to-date product information and availability and find your nearest Dunlop approved tyre dealer.

Click on the image to visit the website. On the site you can also find all the latest Dunlop videos bringing you a broad spec- trum of racing action, including exclusive footage of this year’s Le Mans 24HR race. Click on the image to view the video. DOWNLOAD IMAGE BMW DOMINATE ALMS PODIUM The GT-2 class BMW M3’s returned to the “We were fast from the beginning of the week- American Le Mans Series winner’s circle with a end” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North Ameri- 1-2 finish by the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing ca Motorsport Manager “and brought home the Team at the Road America circuit at Elkhart Lake. first victory for the program. We The No.90 M3, driven by Joey Hand and Bill had incredible support from Auberlen, achieved the new M3 racing program’s all our partners and especially first victory following a third placed podium finish Dunlop, who continue to deliver at the prevous race in Lime Rock Park. Team- for us. We have now arrived at mates Tommy Milner and Dirk Müller in the No.92 a level where we can fight for M3 scored their fourth podium finish of the sea- top honors and that’s what the son in second place. program was designed to do.” SIMONCELLI CLAIMS FIRST AND LAST INDIANAPOLIS 250GP VICTORY Reigning World 250cc Champion Marco Simoncelli challenge in the right hands as Simoncelli set the 0.12 second behind after setting a new lap record claimed victory in the first and last ever 250cc fastest lap of the race just two laps from the flag to on the final lap. Championship leader Julian Simon race to take place at Indianapolis last weekend, establish the never to be broken 250cc lap record of finished fifth, just 1.8 seconds from Espargaro, but Hurricane Ike having forced the cancellation of the 1.44.7. Hiroshi Aoyama finished a strong second to still has a solid 52.5 point lead in the championship 2008 race. The Italian rider worked hard for his slightly extend his championship lead over Bautista, as the teams head directly from USA to Italy for the win, having started from third on the grid and still whilst Simoncelli having won both the last races, is San Marino GP at Misano this weekend, Sept 6. recovering from three crashes on the Saturday. The now just 27 points off the championship lead with Moto2 bikes from BQR and Moriwaki were both track, which uses part of the famous oval along with five races remaining. With 14 of the 125cc field out on track at Indianapolis, with American racing a specially created infield section proved extremely qualifying in the same second, not surprisingly the legend Kevin Schwantz putting in a few laps on challenging for all the MotoGP classes with three race was tense throughout. Nico Terol, led a tight the BQR Honda whilst test rider Shogo Moriwaki different surfaces and many bumps causing a group for most of the race, but losing out on the last put the Moriwaki MD600 through its paces in front number of front end crashes throughout the race lap as Pol Espargaro came through to take Derbi’s of the 75,000 American fans at the iconic circuit, weekend. The Dunlop tyres were clearly up to the first victory of the season, with Bradley Smith just which is celebrating its centenary this year.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE Dunlop builds on 2008 Japanese Superbike Dunlop back on the Suzuka championship victory 8 Hours podium As always, the top Japanese Superbike teams were present Building on Yamaha rider Katsuyuki Nagasuka’s 2008 Championship victory in in force for the Suzuka 8 Hours, the Japanese round of the the Japanese Superbike 1000 class (Dunlop’s first since 2003), Dunlop riders EASTERN FIM World Endurance Championship held on July 26th. have again been in the thick of battle for the 2009 title. After four of the JSB Honda riders Yuki Takahashi and Chojun Kameya rode Championship rounds, Dunlop have claimed three of the top six positions in the strongly in a difficult race, with more than half run under standings, with top rider Chojun Kameya currently in second place just eight points sometimes heavy rain with no fewer than four safety car ap- adrift of championship leader Tatsuya Yamaguchi. Still to come are Okayama pearances. As the chequered flag fell they claimed third, the (September 27th), Motegi (October 18th) and Suzuka (November 1st). PROMISE first appearance on the Suzuka 8 Hours podium for Dunlop since 2004. The FIM World Endurance Championship now heads to Magny Cours for the 24HR Bol d’Or on September 12/13th with reigning World Champions SERT Suzuki fresh from a big test programme with Dunlop throughout the sum- mer, looking to repeat their 2008 Bol D’Or victory.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE Take it to the track Modern day motorbikes offer incredible the full potential of these tyre ranges, giving performance that can be daunting for everyday riders the opportunity to experience the class road users. Keeping the power under control leading GP Racer slick, the GP Racer D 209, and getting the most from it with the right tyres the Qualifier RR, the D 208 RR, the Qualifier II can be a confusing and challenging task. and the Roadsmart tyre. Dunlop France have been running innovative track days, giving riders a chance to discover Adding to the day’s features and excitements, the potential of Dunlop tyres on some of the various world class racing legends make most exclusive race tracks in the country. The appearances at the track days, including former Dunlop Motodays give riders the opportunity 125cc World Champion Arnaud Vincent. to develop their riding limits and tyre potential Add to this a local rock band to provide the in a safe environment advised by Dunlop entertainment and the lucky participants truly engineers with years of expert tyre experience. have a memorable experience. The days are tutored by expert riders offering tips and riding techniques giving participants To qualify for a Dunlop Motoday riders need to the confidence to ride. be given an official invitation by a participating Dunlop retailer and return that invitation Dunlop Motodays are also an innovative completed within the allotted timeframe. tool for Dunlop tyre retailers to promote and Would be track day enthusiasts also need to differentiate the hyper and supersport ranges arrive at the track with their bikes shod with on offer. The track days focus on exploiting Dunlop tyres!

DOWNLOAD IMAGE Q&A: Jeremy Ferguson and Clinton Howe discuss GP challenges The 125 and 250GP classes provide the closest We get the race calendar about 6 months in advance and timing. The 250cc tyres are all developed and them whether or not it is going to rain in the next hour! of racing and it’s not unusual to see 10 riders - we have just received that for 2010. Working back manufactured in Birmingham which obviously shortens Seriously, the practice schedule gives our team of fighting for the win on the last lap. Providing gives us the latest dates for sending the sea containers the logistic process. Practice time at races has been fitters a small window of time to strip, fit and balance the right rubber for the wildly varying track to the races outside Europe, and enables us to plan considerably shortened this year which makes it new tyres for the 60 riders between sessions. For surfaces and in extremes of weather from heat the season’s requirements on the factory. “Back more difficult to test new specifications during the example; the 250cc session finishes at 12.15 pm and sapping high humidity tropical sunshine to to back” races on successive weekends (Spain to race weekend, and testing both before and during starts again three hours later. In this time we can be torrential rain is no easy task, but is achieved Holland for example) pose specific logistic problems the season is also tightly controlled by regulation. We expected to fit and balance anything up to 150 tyres race in, race out all over the world by a crack for us. We build on the experience we have to decide also have a strict policy of supplying every rider with and have them ready for the teams to put into the team of Dunlop engineers and fitters. Jeremy which specifications of tyres to use at any given race. the same quantity and specification at each GP. tyre warmers one hour before the next session starts Ferguson, International Motorsport Manager We look at the previous year’s results, check if the - about 50 tyres every half hour! And if the weather and Clinton Howe, MotoGP coordinator, give track has been altered or resurfaced, and then at the > What is the biggest challenge facing the changes...the pressure increases! We always deliver an insight into how Dunlop make it happen. status of any new tyre developments. 125cc tyres Dunlop Motorsport team on a typical race though. are developed and manufactured in , which weekend? > Ensuring 60 riders have the right rubber at lengthens the delivery process - but we have regular > What would you define as Dunlop’s crowning each and every of the 17 Grand Prix is no small video conferences with our colleagues in Japan Usually the weather! Riders think their Dunlop tyre moment in its history of involvement in the feat, how do the logistics work? to discuss results and agree future developments engineer is also a weather forecaster and can tell 250cc class? With 489 Dunlop victories in the 711 250cc Grand three front and rear slick compound choices, and aware rider will hold back his times, but tell you it is significantly during the race - normally that makes him Prix held over the last 60 years - where does one two variations of front construction where required. easily possible to go quicker. Although telemetry can ‘hero or zero’. start to answer? We would probably single out the Wet tyres in both classes are limited to a single tell us a lot, the rider’s feeling and confidence remains period of the 1990’s when, step by step, teams and specification - which works extremely well across a vitally important factor, particularly regarding front > Which is the toughest circuit in the manufacturers switched from Michelin to Dunlop. This a wide range of wet conditions as the British GP at tyres. championship that demands the widest laid the foundations for our current unbeaten run of Donington last month clearly illustrated. variables for track surface and unpredictable 214 consecutive GP wins and 16 consecutive World > How does the decision making process work weather conditions? Championships with riders like Biaggi, Capirossi, > Rider feedback is essential to further for which tyre a rider will use for the race? Rossi, Melandri, Pedrosa and Lorenzo. Our close development, are there any particular riders Many circuits pose specific challenges - Phillip Island, partnership with , which goes back to 1991 who stand out as providing crucial information The rider always has the final say on which tyres he Catalunya and Sepang for example. But Estoril has has also played a key role. which helps the Dunlop engineers to further will use for the race. The process can be long or proved very difficult because of the weather and their development process? short and will involve everyone in the team as well as track conditions constantly changing. It is very close > How many tyres do you use in an average race the Dunlop service engineer. We can, and with some to the Atlantic, there are often very strong winds weekend and how many different compounds There are always riders that have the technical ability riders, often talk and talk about what is the tyre most that cools tyres down quickly and make it difficult and variations do you take with you? of explaining what a tyre is doing, there are other suited to that rider on that day under those conditions for riders, particularly the lighter 125cc guys, to riders who are just damn fast all the time, but not so - but at the end it is the rider’s decision. No one change direction. In drying track conditions the track We take around 1700 tyres to each GP. We actually good at explaining why. The first group give you the else rides the bike! He may prefer the option which becomes very abrasive, and the type of asphalt is not use about 800 of these. In 125cc we normally offer information you need, the second confirm the result by has better initial grip in the early laps or one which consistent over the entire lap. All in all, a complex and 2 front and rear slick compound choices, though constantly going quicker. Sometimes the fastest rider will be better in the last laps - depending on how he technically demanding track, even if it is the slowest there are some particularly difficult tracks where a will need to be told by his data engineer where in the personally has decided to ride his race. Occasionally on the GP calendar - and one with very unpredictable third alternative is made available. For 250cc we offer lap he made the improvement, whereas the technically he may take a gamble on the weather changing and changing weather! DOWNLOAD IMAGE LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN Matt Mladin retires on a high with seventh AMA Superbike Championship win... Since his arrival in the USA in 1996 rider Mat Mladin has been rarely beatable in the AMA Superbike Cham- pionship. Dominating the championship again this year, he has already clinched yet another AMA Superbike title, making it an incredible seven championship wins in ten years, all on Dunlop tyres. Mladin’s impressive seven AMA titles include 82 AMA superbike race wins, 62 pole positions. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider claimed his seventh AMA title at the Virginia Interna- tional Raceway last month, and will go to the final round at New Jersey on September 4th-6th already wearing the number 1 plate, a special tribute from the AMA to their most prolific champion.H aving announced his re- tirement and decision to return home to Australia at the end of this season, 2009 will be the last title for the most successful rider in AMA Superbike history. DOWNLOAD IMAGE

KORNFEIL WINS THE 2009 RED BULL MOTOGP ROOKIES CUP ON HOME SOIL The Rookies Cup could not have had a more dramatic finale. Going into the final weekend at the Cardion AB Brno GP, Sturla Fagerhaug from Norway and Czech hero Jakub Kornfeil were equal on points. The Rookies had two races over the weekend that on Saturday involved a 10 rider battle to the flag. Fagerhaug finished 5th and Kornfeil 8th, giving the Norwegian a three point lead going into the Sunday final. The 16 year old Czech had to fight all the way over the 13 laps with his arch rival Fagerhaug, but when the Norwegian came together with Japanese rider Daijiro Hiura three corners from the flag his chance of victory disappeared, and Kornfeil won the race and the Cup in front of his home crowd by just 0.1 seconds and 2 points! Dunlop D773F’s power Pyrhonen to Home GP glory Motocross World Championship stalwart, Antti Pyrhonen, fulfilled a lifetime ambition with his Dunlop-gripped Team Finnsco Racing Honda by winning the thirteenth round of fifteen in the MX3 series at Vantaa, Finland recently. The rider, who is currently third in the large-bore category and still within a shout of winning the 2009 title, rode on Dunlop D773F tyres. The D773F’s, specifically designed to tackle the sand and soft mud circuits to devastating effect, outperformed the Pirelli shod rivals at Vantaa to power Pyrhonen to victory. He triumphed in both motos at his home event and was deservedly feted by a large partisan crowd as he became the first Finn to claim a GP event this century. “I was under pressure here and wanted this win so much; now my dreams have come true,” he said. “Over 350 people from my sponsors were here, also my friends and thousands of spectators; this was an important win.” Vantaa represented the second success this season for the veteran and extended his DOWNLOAD IMAGE chain of moto victories to four. Race bRed. Fully Road qualiFied.

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