MEDIA INFORMATION

2016 FIA (FIA WRC) – Rallye de France

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport S5 and H5 ready for the Rally of the 10,000 corners!

After August’s demanding and the cancellation of the scheduled visit to China, 2016 FIA World Rally Championship action resumes with another asphalt round, the Tour de Corse – Rallye de France. Some 70 percent of the French classic has been revised compared with this time 12 months ago, while its distance has been upped by 20 percent. It will continue to feature the Mediterranean island’s staggering variety of spectacular backdrops but the weather there can often be unsettled at this time of year.

The total distance of 1,170.40km includes 390.92 competitive kilometres divided into 10 stages, with only Friday’s two attempts at Plage du Liamone-Sarrola-Carcopino carried over from 2015. Meanwhile, the service park has switched from Corte to Bastia Airport, but Ajaccio will continue to host the organisational nerve-centre and Thursday evening’s ceremonial start. Saturday’s leg will be the longest, with two loops of two stages totalling 169.04km.

The Tour de Corse – Rallye de France promises to be quite tough on tyres because of the stage lengths involved (five of the 10 are around 50km in length), so strategies could play a decisive role. Also, changeable weather high in the mountains and the big gaps between stage start times could spring some surprises depending on tyre choices. The information provided by Michelin’s Technical Advisors is consequently likely to be more valuable than ever, although tyre calls are always ultimately the responsibility of the drivers.

Michelin’s partners will be able to choose from three different types of tyre, namely the S5 (soft compound) and H5 (hard) versions of the MICHELIN Pilot Sport, plus the MICHELIN Pilot Sport FW2 (FW = Full Wet) which was introduced to cover extremely wet weather. The latter was made available for the first time in Germany but wasn’t used.

“I think the – Rallye de France will be the most complex asphalt round of the year with regard to tyre choice,” notes Jacques Morelli, manager of Michelin’s WRC programme. “The fact that our partners have a choice between the MICHELIN Pilot Sport H5 and the S5 is reassuring, though. The H5 is a benchmark in terms of its performance and resistance to wear, while the softer S5 showcased its outstanding potential in Germany in August when it coped perfectly with the mixed asphalt/concrete Baumholder stage where ground temperatures reached as high as 25°C. Although the Corsican roads are less abrasive than they used to be, the tyres’ shoulders will no doubt get quite hot because of the non-stop succession of corners. The Pilot Sport has similar characteristics to a racing tyre, so I think the spectators are in for a great show.”

Didier Laurent – [email protected] – Téléphone : +33.6.75.60.50.62

Alessandro Barlozzi – [email protected] – Téléphone : +33.6.42.23.55.93

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport S5 and MICHELIN Pilot Sport H5

Size: 225/40R18 (20/65-18)

Width: 225mm

Sidewall height: 90mm

Interior diameter: 18 inches

Tread pattern: asymmetric, directional (a left- and a right-hand tyre)

Use: asphalt rounds (Rallye Monte-Carlo, ADAC Rallye Deutschland, -, Tour de Corse-Rallye de France, RallyRACC Catalunya-Rally de España)

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport FW2

Size: 215/45R18 (18/65-18)

Tread width: 175mm

Overall width: 220mm

Sidewall height: 96mm

Interior diameter: 18 inches

Tread pattern: symmetrical

Conditions: showers, standing water or heavy rain on asphalt rounds

Michelin’s staff for the 2016 Tour de Corse – Rallye de France: 20 people

Michelin will have 2,320 tyres for Tour de Corse – Rallye de France (WRC: 732 / WRC2: 1,028 / Junior WRC: 560).

Didier Laurent – [email protected] – Téléphone : +33.6.75.60.50.62

Alessandro Barlozzi – [email protected] – Téléphone : +33.6.42.23.55.93