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IMOTORSPORTnT NEWS ouchJune‘11 ISSUE 16 IN THIS ISSUE: Le Mans 24 TT MX1 / MX2 Dunlop’s 11 in a row at THE Bol d’Or

LE MANS SUCCESS! Le MANS REVIEW LMP2 WIN AT LE MANS GTE PRO PODIUM

The 79th Le Mans 24 Hours proved to be Dunlop also enjoyed success in GTE-Pro another successful race for Dunlop, with a 1-2 during the 79th Le Mans 24 Hours, with BMW finish in the LMP2 class. taking a podium finish in the highly Greaves Motorsport trio Karim Ojjeh, Tom competitive and hotly contested class. Kimber-Smith and Olivier Lombard took class Despite a number of unscheduled stops to honours and were the highest placed Dunlop rectify various problems, , Dirk finishers in eighth overall, with a largely Müller and Joey Hand finished third in the #56 trouble-free run seeing them finish six laps BMW M3 GT while the sister car of Augusto clear of fellow Dunlop team Signatech . Farfus, Jorg Müller and Dirk Werner started Despite various dramas during the race, all from pole and looked set to finish well up the seven of Dunlop’s LMP2 cars made it to the class standings before retiring less than three finish with RML, OAK Racing’s #49 entry and hours from the finish. Race Performance also inside the top 20 For Dunlop’s other GTE-Pro teams, it was a overall. more challenging race with the Jota Aston The success in LMP2 made up for a tough Martin Vantage retiring with an engine issue race in the premier LMP1 class, with a tyre and the JMW – resplendent in the development partner OAK Racing forced to winning livery from the Dunlop Art Car retire both of its cars – the #15 with mechanical competition – down in ninth in class after fuel problems and the #24 after a small fire left it pressure and problems hampered its stranded on track. The Quifel-ASM Zytek also challenge. failed to see the finish having been forced out In GTE-Am, the JMB Racing Ferrari 430 took when the engine let go early on. fourth place although engine failure forced “As always, the Le Mans 24 Hours is a race Krohn Racing to retire. The Gulf AMR Middle full of drama,” Dunlop Motorsport’s General East Vantage also failed to finish Manager Jean-Félix Bazelin said. “In LMP2, we after an accident in the Curves early scored a fantastic win with Greaves on Sunday morning, although the car had led Motorsport and we congratulate them for that. the class in the opening six hours. “Unfortunately, our challenge in the LMP1 In total across the four classes in the race, category ended early, but we were quick in completed a total of 3868 laps on this class and I am happy that our tyres 17 of the 56 cars entered, equating to worked well across all our cars and we are at approximately 52,444 kilometres or 32,587 least a match for the opposition.” miles! BRIT WINS DUNLOP LIVERY COMPETITION

Mik Whiting from Derbyshire in the UK won the 2011 Dunlop Livery The winning designer describes himself as a complete Competition, with his design adorning the Dunlop-supported JMW ‘petrol-head’. Mik’s dream trip was won by highlighting the Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italia Dunlop Art Car. ‘Britishness’ in the team, drivers’ and Dunlop’s heritage, and using Mik and two other finalists attended Le Mans where they enjoyed the colours and ‘Flying D’ that epitomise Dunlop in a design that’s a full programme of activities over the course of the build-up to the eye-catching and instantly recognisable as a Dunlop car. event, and the race itself. “I’m so proud to see my design actually on the car and then to The winning design was chosen from over 250 entries received from see it line up on the grid at the start of the race was just awesome,” throughout Europe. The public elected finalist designs by voting on-line at said Mik. www.livery-competition. dunlop.eu with the final decision made by a “Once the race was underway I had friends text me telling me jury comprised of Sanjay Khanna (MD, Goodyear Dunlop) Jean-Félix they’d seen my design racing on TV and they even heard my name Bazelin (General Manager, Dunlop Motorsport) Jim McWhirter mentioned on the commentary for winning the competition.” (Principle, JMW ) and Fabrice Bourrigaud (Marketing & Communications Manager, ACO). MOTO2 MOTO2 Estoril Le Mans CATALUNYA SILVERSTONE

After big wins for Stefan Bradl and Andrea Iannone in the opening Moto2 welcomed its first new winner of 2011, following a breakthrough Catalunya saw Dunlop extend its exclusive tyre contract until the end Slippery conditions at Silverstone couldn’t loosen Stefan Bradl’s grip 2011 races, victory in the all-Dunlop Moto2 World Championship was victory by reigning 125cc World Champion Marc Marquez at Le Mans. of 2014, while title leader Stefan Bradl continued his run of alternating on the Moto2 World Championship, as Dunlop’s wet tyres made their decided by just 0.147sec in Portugal. The 18-year-old Spanish rookie had failed to score a single point race wins. second race appearance of the season. Starting from a perfect third pole of the year, and on a dry track after incidents in all three previous rounds, but showed no lack of Bradl, winner of rounds one and three, kept his up front for Once again, the young German understood the limits of adhesion after another weekend of mixed Estoril weather, Bradl used speed self-belief as he climbed purposefully up the order from ninth on lap 1. most of the fifth round - while collisions just behind him took out better than his rivals, many of whom were caught out by the and patience to take his second win of the season. The Suter rider snatched the lead with four laps to go, then rode to a Thomas Lüthi and Yuki Takahashi, then Julián Simón and Kenan treacherous conditions. Twice the Kalex rider lost the lead, only to have it swiftly returned safe 1.9sec victory over Moriwaki’s Yuki Takahashi. Sofuoglu. Bradl retook the advantage from local star Scott Redding on lap 4 of when the rider ahead crashed. First to falter was Interwetten’s Takahashi to fifth-placed Thomas Lüthi (Suter) were covered by just Those incidents helped Le Mans winner Marc Márquez (Suter) 18, then returned to the top when Mattia Pasini crashed from a Thomas Lüthi, then points’ leader Iannone - who charged forwards 0.627sec, with Championship leader Stefan Bradl (Kalex) beating inherit second place, four-seconds from Bradl, with former MotoGP short-lived lead on lap 8. from 16th, only to stumble from his Suter. Julian Simon (Suter) to the final podium position. rider Aleix Espargaró (Pons Kalex) claiming his first ever Moto2 Dunlop’s 414 wets offered so much grip that Bradl’s best lap, of Bradl, winner of last October’s Estoril race, then rode a defensive A costly first-lap error by Andrea Iannone meant Bradl left Le Mans rostrum in third. 2min 25.096sec, was only beaten by eight riders in the following final lap to keep Aspar’s Julian Simon at bay. Gresini’s Yuki Takahashi with a 28-point lead over new nearest rival Simon. Bradl’s victory also meant a winning debut for Dunlop’s new MotoGP race! claimed third. Bradl was one of eight riders to race with Dunlop’s new asymmetric W919 rear tyre, developed during winter testing. The biggest cheer of the day went to Tech 3’s Bradley Smith, who 85% of the riders - including the podium finishers - picked the 717 high-ambient 3757 rear tyre, which had been as good - if not better - Offered alongside the softer 3868 option, rider opinion was initially charged from 28th to 2nd in front of his home fans. Fellow rookie (hard) front tyre, with the entire field electing to run the 3854 than the proven 3854 soft-medium rear during hot Friday practice. divided equally between the two tyres - but by race day, 70% had Michele Pirro (Moriwaki) also took his first rostrum with third. (soft-medium) rears. Dunlop engineers were impressed by how well the 3757 performed opted for the W919. Despite Estoril’s heavy bias towards right-hard turns, tyre wear was in the cooler race-day conditions, although Bradl felt the temperature Like Bradl, Márquez also ran the W919 in combination with the balanced and impressive endurance meant the top three all set their change cost him some edge-grip relative to the 3854 riders, who (harder) 717 front compound, which was favoured throughout the fastest laps after mid-race distance. dominated the top six. grid. Espargaró was the only rider in the top six to use the 3868 rear. The top rider on the 753 (medium) front was FTR’s Simone Corsi in In terms of front tyres, the 753 medium-compound allowed better The 23-lap race took its toll on both types of rear tyre, in terms of fifth. Earlier in the weekend, the 414 wets had once again performed outright performance, but riders selected the 717 hard-compound due wear and abrasion, but riders remained happy with performance. admirably on a tricky drying surface. to its superior stability and manoeuvrability. Bradl’s victory gave him a 13-point lead over Iannone. 125’s FINAL COUNTDOWN The final season of the 125cc World Championship again sees all shine and the 17-year-old left the British Grand Prix 35 points behind riders running Dunlop tyres, as a mix of up-and-coming stars take on Terol, who rode to a safe eighth. the class veterans. Further back, Hiroki Ono and Alexis Masbou have both scored Last year’s title runner-up Nico Terol may have enjoyed a dominant points for KTM, with Marcel Schrötter and Danny Webb doing start to the season - four poles and four wins from six rounds - but likewise for new manufacturer Mahindra. exciting new talents have also emerged in the form of debut victories Although all riders use Dunlop tyres, there is no exclusive supplier for Maverick Viñales and Jonas Folger. for the 125cc class - the blanket use of Dunlop technology simply Terol () triumphed in Qatar, Spain and Portugal, before reflects demand from the teams. 16-year-old rookie Viñales (Aprilia) made a last-turn victory pass in Le However, at Catalunya it was announced that next year’s new Mans. (Derbi) thought he had taken his first win in Moto3 class, of 250cc four-strokes, will officially be all-Dunlop - just Catalunya, but a 20-second penalty put Terol back on top. like in Moto2. Torrential rain at Silverstone then gave Folger (Aprilia) his chance to © David Traynor

I.O.M TT FoUR TT WINS FOR DUNLOP IN 2011.

Dunlop riders took four wins in the 92nd running of the Isle of Man Course is a closed public road so this gives us the best test TT race after TT Legends rider John McGuinness won the possible of our products, and the lessons learned at the TT are final TT race of 2011 on the fearsome 37.73 mile (60.72 km) directly applicable to our commercially available products. Mountain Course. “The D211 GP is a tremendous tyre, and this was illustrated once Dunlop took wins in the Superbike, Supersport 1, Superstock and more by our two TT wins this year in the Supersport and Senior TT races in 2011 to bring the tally of wins using Dunlop tyres Superstock categories. The technology developed for this tyre was to 17 over the last four years. initially used on the GP Racer D211 and is now being applied in the The Supersport and Superstock victories were achieved using new award winning SportSmart which is a testament to the Dunlop’s D211 GP tyre, with a road legal tread pattern, effectiveness of Dunlop’s commitment to race to road technology homologated for race use and built at Dunlop’s Motorsport transfer. department in Birmingham. “Our Multi-Tread compound and NTEC technologies give superb “Dunlop has a long history of success at the Isle of Man TT which dry grip with fast warm-up times and great handling, which are stretches back to the very first race win there in 1907,” said Dunlop good for the road and also in competition, as highlighted by our Motorsport Manager EU, Steve Male. “The Mountain further TT wins in 2011.”

Senior TT Race 10/06/11 1. John McGuinness Honda TT Legends 1h 45m 45.80s @ 128.426mph Dunlop racing slicks 2. by TAS Racing 1h 45m 53.00s @ 128.281mph 3. Padgett’s Honda 1h 46m 01.50s @ 128.109mph Dunlop racing slicks

Supersport Race 1 06/06/11 1. Bruce Anstey Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda 54m 40.01s @ 124.232mph Dunlop D211 GP 2. Keith Amor KBMG Racing 54m 48.40s @ 123.916mph Dunlop D211 GP 3. Guy Martin Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing 54m 56.06s @ 123.628mph

Superstock Race 06/06/11 1. Street Sweep Kawasaki 1h 11m 13.69s @ 127.129mph Dunlop D211 GP 2. John McGuinness Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda 1h 11m 32.32s @ 126.578mph Dunlop D211 GP 3. Guy Martin Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing 1h 11m 36.59s @ 126.452mph

Superbike TT Race 04/06/11 1. John McGuinness Honda TT Legends 1h 46m 13.40s @ 127.870mph Dunlop racing slicks 2. Cameron McDonald Wilson Craig Racing Honda 1h 47m 10.30s @ 126.739mph Dunlop racing slicks 3. Gary Johnson Lincs Lifting Ltd Honda 1h 13m 29.28s @ 123.220mph

Dunlop Riders in Italics LE MANS SERIES NÜRBURGRING 24 hour LMS PODIUMS IN SPA NÜRBURGRING AWAITS

There were two class podiums for Dunlop-shod teams in what class, with the team’s second car and the Jota Aston Martin also The Nürburgring 24 Hours is regarded as one of the most challenging Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell amongst the drivers. In total, three proved to be a tough second round to the Le Mans Series at Spa on inside the top six. races in motorsport but Dunlop will aim to help BMW tame the circuit Golf24s are on the entry list for the event. May 7; with the final race prior to the Le Mans 24 Hours doubling as Paul Ricard winners JMW Motorsport dropped out of contention known as ‘The Green Hell’ for a second successive season. Also using Dunlop rubber for the event are the Mercedes SLS the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. for victory with radiator damage but made the most of its Dunlop Jörg Mueller, , and Pedro Lamy won the AMG GT3s of the and Horn Motorsport teams, while LMP2 entry of Boutsen Energy’s LMP2 car overcame a fuel tyres to set the second quickest GTE lap of the race. Kessel Racing event in 2010 – the latter for a record equally fifth time – and the reigning VLN title winners Team Schubert will chase pick-up problem to take top Dunlop honours with second in class and Krohn Racing both took top eight finishes in the GTE Am class. quartet return to defend their title at the wheel of a BMW M3 GT, with Nürburgring honours with a pair of BMW Z4 GT3s. and twelfth overall. RLR Motorsport, Signatech Nissan and OAK LMP1 tyre development partner OAK Racing was forced to miss Dirk Müller, Dirk Werner and Dirk Adorf in the sister car. With each lap featuring well over 70 corners and running to more Racing also finished inside the top six in LMP2 whilst RML could not the race after an accident in qualifying. Its second car had already As well as the factory BMW entry, Dunlop will also supply tyres to than 24km, the Dunlop-shod teams will aim to benefit from the start due to damage sustained in practice. been withdrawn following an incident at the Le Mans test day. The as it’s part of an exclusive development partnership. expertise of Dunlop’s technicians to secure victory in a race where it Following a 1-2 finish in the first ILMC event at Sebring, BMW’s Quifel-ASM LMP1 entry retired from the race. While VW’s entry includes a number of Sciroccos, it is the striking could be argued that the biggest challenge is against the track rather strong start to the year continued with a third place in the GTE Pro 440bhp Golf24 that will spearhead its challenge – with ex-F1 men than the rivals on it. DUNLOP TO SUPPLY MOTO3

ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOL D”OR

Dunlop Motorsport will supply the tyres for the new Moto3 products and our knowledge of the latest technology,” said Antonaros. Dunlop’s Eleven Heaven Championship which starts next year to replace the 125cc World This provides benefits for our consumers such as our NTEC and Championship, as well as extending the existing contract to supply Multi-Tread technologies which we have enhanced further through Moto2 until at least the end of 2014. our Moto2 relationship. Moto3 is a fantastic new proving ground and Dunlop continued its remarkable run of success in the legendary Dunlop’s eleven consecutive wins at the Bol d’Or The announcement was made at a press conference at the we will benefit from being there at the start of the Championship, French motorcycle 24-hour race, the Bol d’Or, securing the eleventh 2001 Suzuki Castrol Team Catalunya round of MotoGP on Friday June 3 with Sharon Antonaros, when the learning curve is at its steepest, and the potential rewards consecutive win on April 17. 2002 Suzuki Castrol Team Dunlop Europe Motorcycle Marketing Director attending. are at their greatest.” Long-time Dunlop partners, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team 2003 Suzuki Castrol Team “Dunlop participates in in order to develop our (SERT), proved more than a match for the opposition and they lead from to finish six laps ahead of their nearest rivals, with 2004 Suzuki Castrol Team 814 laps completed. 2005 Suzuki “It was a fantastic weekend for Dunlop,” said Dunlop Motorsport 2006 Suzuki Castrol Team Service Engineer, Peter Chapman. “At the front of the field, SERT 2007 Yamaha GMT 94 were faultless in their approach. All three riders had the pace to race 2008 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team with the quickest that any other team could throw at them, whilst the 2009 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team crew provided faultless pit stops time and again.” 2010 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Endurance racing is one of the best proving grounds for Dunlop’s 2011 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team race to road philosophy, as there are a wide range of track conditions encountered over the course of a 24-hour race. Indeed, the Magny Cours track temperature ranged from 8ºC to 40ºC during the course of the race. It wasn’t only Dunlop’s race tyres being used either, as the thirtieth-finishing Adrenatem Esprit Moto squad used Dunlop’s GP Racer D211 road-legal trackday tyre. Dunlop’s return

This year marks the comeback of Dunlop to the Motorcross World Championship after many years of absence and six rounds in to the season there have been podiums already. Honda World Motocross Team rider Evgeny Bobryshev took his first-ever podium in the MX1 class at the Grand Prix of Glen Helen, USA, with third in the overall classifications on May 15 and followed it up a month later with another third place in the GP of Agueda, Portugal. The operation is overseen by Eddy Seel, a highly successful Dunlop supported former motocross and supermoto rider who acts as Dunlop’s teams and riders Motocross Race Coordinator. “We have started to get to where we want to be this season Honda World Motocross team as we have twice seen the yellow cap on the podium, in the Evgeny Bobryshev (MX1) US and in Portugal,” said Seel. Rui Gonçalves (MX1) “This is the reward for the hard work we all do. Our riders know our range very well and can make the right tyre choice Nestaan Jacky Martens racing team for each track, so that they can get the maximum of Joël Roelants (MX2) performance.” Jordi Tixier (MX2) Dunlop supplies teams in MX1 and MX2 with a wide product Pascal Rauchenecker (MX2) Yentel Martens (MX1) range, the perfect match for every ground condition. For Dunlop’s Motorcycle Business Unit, confidence is high. Yamaha Van Beers racing team “Dunlop has been back in the Motocross World Marc de Reuver (MX1) Championship for a short time now, but it is making a positive Herjan Brakke (MX1) evolution,” said Sharon Antonaros (EMEA Marketing and Sales Petar Petrov (MX2) Director, Dunlop Motorcycle Business Unit). “Our products are very competitive and the interest of teams LS Honda in our tyres is rising. I am confident that this will continue and Shaun Simpson (MX1) that we are on our way back to the top.” Ken de Dycker (MX1) BTCC BONANZA! DONINGTON THRUXTON & Action and controversy have been the Despite a weight reduction for the order of the day in the Dunlop-backed S2000 cars, Shedden’s turbo-powered British Touring Car Championship with Honda took victory in race one at Oulton twelve races now run and five drivers Park but the Scot was denied a second having tasted victory. win of the day when he was taken out by After the season opener at Brands team-mate Neal at the final corner of race Hatch, the field headed to Donington two – handing Plato the victory. Park where Matt Neal, Andrew Jordan Jackson’s Ford Focus then took race and Mat Jackson took a win apiece on a three honours and he is one of six drivers weekend where defending champion now covered by 15 points (the equivalent Jason Plato suffered a high-speed roll of a race win) at the top of the standings. going down the Craner Curves. Neal is the man to beat with a two Somehow, the Chevrolet team got the point lead over Shedden, with Jackson, battered car out for the final race where James Nash, Plato and Jordan Plato rewarded them with sixth place. completing those six. The quickest circuit on the calendar, Thruxton, saw the wins shared between Gordon Shedden, Neal and Plato with continued debate about parity of performance between the turbo-powered and normally aspirated cars despite a boost reduction for the turbo runners. © Jacqueline Pelsmacker © Paul Cherry Photography/Britcar Ltd

GOING DUTCH BRITCAR BATTLES

With bumper grids of Dunlop-shod cars, Dutch Supercar Challenge van der Zweede having just two points clear of Wolf Nathan, despite Britcar races have been dominated by thus far in 2011, It is however the Class 2 Viper of Aaron Scott and Craig continues to go from strength to strength with the 2011 season thus winning the class four times in his BMW M3 Silhoutte. Two DNFs although with three rounds completed, it is the Class 2 Wilkins that heads the championship after an unbeaten start to the far being no exception. have helped Nathan, a winner at Assen, to stay close in the that heads the championship standings. year, with the GT3 Racing team having switched from the British GT Six races in, Diederik Sijthoff is the man to beat in the GT class championship fight. Now known as the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship, Championship over the winter. having finished inside the top five in every race in his Speedtec Supersport 2 is headed by SEAT Leon Supercopa drivers Ferry the series has visited Silverstone, Rockingham and In the standings, just 12 points cover the top ten, with plenty of Motorsport-run Dodge Viper, with a win at Donington Park. Sijthoff is and Robin Monster, with two wins in six starts giving them a 14 point already with overall honours having been shared between two teams. twists to come over the remainder of the year. currently 17 points clear of closest rival Dave Basu, a winner at Assen lead over BMW pair Koen Bogaerts and Mark van der Aa while Aart Defending champions Witt Gamski and Keith Robinson took In the Britcar Dunlop Production GTN Championship, the Class 2 in his Corvette, while Roger Grouwels sits third despite missing the Bosman started his Sport division campaign with a double win at victory in the three-hour Silverstone opener for MJC with their Ferrari SEAT Leon of Alex Osbourne and – winner at Donington season opener. Zandvoort and leads the class standings by 15 points in his Lotus 430 but Michael and Sean McInerney then returned to the series for Park – tops the standings. As yet, no driver has managed to visit the top step of the podium Exige. the four-hour event at Rockingham – a race dubbed as one of the However, as in the Endurance Championship, a close-run title fight twice in 2011. Fellow Lotus driver Guillaume Schulz is his closest challenger, best seen in Britcar for years – and promptly secured the win. The is developing with 14 points separating the top 13 cars after the Supersport 1 is shaping up to be a close run title fight with Bert despite the fact he has yet to win in 2011. father and son pair then repeated the feat at Donington Park to give opening three races. Eclipse Motorsport its second success of the campaign. JMW FERRARI Visits dunlop factory

Dunlop Down Under

In 2011, Dunlop is celebrating its 10th consecutive year as the official ‘Control’ and ‘Sprint’ tyres throughout the season, with considerably Workers at the Dunlop Motorsport factory in Birmingham were paid a “This has been a great day and everyone has enjoyed the car and control tyre of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series. more of the softer option being utilised,” Dunlop V8 Supercar visit by the JMW racing team in the build up to the French classic talking to the people who use the product we produce.” The V8 Supercars is one of Australia’s largest sports in attendance Operations Manager Kevin Fitzsimons said. race, with JMW’s yet to wear its new clothes decided by JMW racing team owner Jim McWhirter confirmed the and television audience and last year around 1.7 million people “There are 15 events on the 2011 calendar and everyone except the Dunlop Livery Competition. importance of Dunlop to their racing activities. “The right choice of walked through the gates at V8 Supercars events. the Clipsal 500, Phillip Island 500, and Sydney Telstra The entire team, including drivers, technicians and owner Jim tyre and manufacturer is essential for any team intent on winning. It’s Dunlop provides two option tyres to the series; the standard 500 are featuring Dunlop’s ‘Sprint’ tyres, with Abu Dhabi, Hamilton, McWhirter, joined in the visit, which included a factory tour and the a real partnership, with input from Dunlop throughout the season,” he compound SP Sport Maxx ‘Control’, and the softer option the SP Winton, Queensland Raceway, Surfers Paradise, Symmons Plains opportunity to meet the people who design and make the tyres said. Sport Maxx ‘Sprint’. Designed to create more exciting racing between and Sandown all running the soft compound exclusively. which are a vital element in racing success. “It is not just a case of ordering a batch of tyres at the beginning of competitors, the SP Sport Maxx ‘Sprint’ is used both exclusively and “After six events and 14 races so far this year, we have had six “There are very many motorsport enthusiasts within our the year and using them as we go along. It’s been good for our crew in conjunction with the SP Sport Maxx ‘Control’ at select races different winners, with the Dunlop tyres being a major contributor to organisation and whilst we have an engineering team at each race, to see the amount of engineering and skill that goes into the design throughout the season. improving the entertainment spectacle of the series.” working hands-on with the tyres, many of our colleagues do not have and manufacture of each tyre. It has also been delightful to know that “This year teams will receive more than 100 extra SP Sport Maxx the opportunity to get up close and personal with the cars and the the Dunlop Motorsport team has such enthusiasm for our success.” people who race them,” said Dunlop Production Director, Ian Taylor. National Motorcycle categories National Motorcycle categories

IDM winning streak CIV update After two rounds, Misano and Monza.

After three events - Lausitzring, Oschersleben, Nürburgring – it’s six, with the podium in the last three races dominated by Dunlop 125 GP - All competitors are using Dunlop tyres in 2011, a change 600 SS - Dunlop’s leading rider in the 600 SS class is Cristiano been a strong start to the season for the IDM. riders. from last year where rival tyres were seen. After races at Misano and Erbacci (RB Racing), currently in sixth position in the standings after a In the 125cc class, where Dunlop supplies tyres to 70% of the grid, “The whole team is working hard and disciplined for our target: Monza, the leader of the championship is Miroslav ‘Mira’ Popov crash in the season-opener, the legacy of which affected him in the the three races have born three victories, with Dunlop riders first and winning,” says Ralph Christmann from Dunlop Motorsport (Elleci). Miroslav is already showing his strength in the title race after second. Better things are predicted for the next race in Misano. second in the overall standings. Motorcycle, . narrowly losing out in the last race of 2010. In Supersport, where 38% of the field are on Dunlops, there have “Also our partners on the are doing a great job while Superbike - Technical problems for lead Dunlop rider Ivan Goi been four wins from six races, with Dunlop riders first and third in the setting the bikes for victory and giving feedback to the Dunlop Moto2 - This is first year of Moto2 in the Italian championships and (Aprilia) meant a top five position in the championship is currently out overall standings. technical staff. This is how it works. Only with two-way reliance and after two races, two riders are tied at the top, with Dunlop riders of reach, with Dunlop’s other hope, Gianluca Nannelli (MM Racing Superbike, meanwhile, sees a clean sweep of wins with six from with complementary teamwork we are able to fight for the title.” Diego Ciavattini (Es Race) and Mattia Tarozzi (Faenza Racing) both on BMW), crashing in first race. 36 points. DUNLOP DOMINATION IN WORLD SUPERCROSS

The 2011 AMA Supercross Championship produced some of taking his second win of the season as Dungey finished the closest racing ever, and it played out in front of packed runner-up. Understanding full well what was necessary to stadiums across the USA. secure the championship, Villopoto rode a calculated race and Dunlop riders filled the top seven positions in the final finished a solid and secure third to take his first-ever standings at the end of an intense 17 rounds held from Supercross title. January till May. There were 34 championship races this year between the 2011 race winners included Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Supercross and Lites classes, and Dunlop riders won every Ryan Villopoto, TwoTwo Motorsports Honda rider Chad Reed, race, filled every spot on every main event podium, and took all Team San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart, American Honda three championships. Racing’s Trey Canard and Rockstar/Makita/ Suzuki’s Ryan Along the way, a number of race wins were posted on the Dungey. same Geomax tyres Dunlop makes available to the public. Entering the season finale at Las Vegas, Villopoto led Reed While Dunlop strive to supply the best tyres possible to in the championship chase by nine points, a handy edge that top-level professional racers, they also maintain that same the Kawasaki rider used to good advantage. As the race commitment to the avid weekend rider. unfolded, Reed and Dungey battled to the finish, with Reed

2011 Supercross Championship 2011 Supercross Lites West 2011 Supercross Lites East Final Standings Championship Final Standings Championship Final Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto (Dunlop) 1. Broc Tickle (Dunlop) 1. Justin Barcia (Dunlop) 2. Chad Reed (Dunlop) 2. Eli Tomac (Dunlop) 2. Dean Wilson (Dunlop) 3. Ryan Dungey (Dunlop) 3. Josh Hansen (Dunlop) 3. Ryan Sipes (Dunlop) 4. James Stewart (Dunlop) 4. Cole Seely (Dunlop) 4. Blake Baggett (Dunlop) 5. Trey Canard (Dunlop) 5. Ryan Morais (Dunlop) 5. Blake Wharton (Dunlop) 6. Andrew Short (Dunlop) 6. Ken Roczen (Dunlop) 6. Matt Lemoine (Dunlop) 7. Kevin Windham (Dunlop) 7. Tyla Rattray (Dunlop) 7. Malcolm Stewart (Dunlop) 8. Davi Millsaps 8. Kyle Cunningham (Dunlop) 8. Lance Vincent (Dunlop) 9. Justin Brayton 9. Martin Davalos (Dunlop) 9. P.J. Larsen (Dunlop) 10. Nick Wey (Dunlop) 10. Ben Evans (Dunlop) 10. Hunter Hewitt (Dunlop) returns to scene of 1991 win with dunlop

This year marks the 20th anniversary of a rather unexpected and well regarded overall Le Mans win by Mazda’s highly distinctive sounding Wankel rotary powered 787B piloted by Johnny Herbert, Betrand Gachot and Volker Weidler, and shod on Dunlop tyres. To mark the anniversary, Mazda brought the race winning 787B back to Le Mans for 2011 so La Sarthe reverberated to the rotary once more… INSIDE RACING Coming to a television or computer screen near you, the Dunlop supported Inside Racing programme offers a fantastic glimpse of motorsport activities around the world, as well as insights into how a racing tyre works. Inside Racing is broadcast around the world and excerpts can be accessed online at: www.youtube.com/user/DunlopInsideRacing licks egends Faces team and Driver profiles and enthusiasts S parties People, places and L action in Icons I nsights the Behind of scenes spectacular seriesrace Grip From tyres to traction

First broadcast 13th June The Scirocco Cup. A Mustang at the FHR Bike tyres - From track The Campionato Gerhard Mitter Part II. Starts in its second season. Langstreckencup. to road. Italiano Turismo The all-rounder competed in Get to know the drivers and Two enthusiasts from Endurance bike races like Le Series. several series (F1, Le Mans, see how the first races were Luxembourg and their Mans or the Bol D’Or are A popular racing series in ) and was also a decided! unbeatable passion for the crucial for road bike and tyre Italy. Follow the fans to the great engineer. He started to . development. race in Imola and get to build his own engines for know the fascination of this different formula teams and series. always tried to develop new and extraordinary racing machines. First broadcast 4th July Le Mans 24 Hours. BMW and Dunlop at Grip and wear. Dunlop Livery The Porsche Legend The fight for the lead will the 24h of Le Mans. Sand, oil, dirt on the track, Competition. at Le Mans. again be very exciting in 2010 wasn’t the year of the changing asphalt conditions. We follow the winning It is the most challenging and 2011. But there are not only BMW team at Le Mans. In The 24h of Le Mans is a race designer of the 2011 contest the most prestigious race in the top teams which 2011 they want to strike back of extremes – and a tough and see how his car from the world and Porsche is a fascinate but also the cult and will be accompanied by tyre job! OAK Racing will perform! permanent fixture. cars that are huge crowd the Inside Racing crew! pullers.

First broadcast 18th July 24 Hours of Dunlop engineers. Bike Tyre Madrid Stadium Race. Oldtimer-Rallye Nürburgring. A 24-hour race is a challenge Performance. Alex Crivillé, Miguel Angel de Hamburg-Berlin. Behind the scenes of BMW not only for teams and Fascinating motorcycle Castro and Mart Suria on a We will follow the old-timer – the winner of the 2010 race drivers, but the Dunlop technology explained by a spectacular racing event at drivers on their way from will try to defend the title. The engineers also have a tough motorcycle insider! the Calderon, Madrid. Hamburg to Berlin. It’s a last big challenge for the race ahead. Take a look unique event with a lot of outgoing BMW Motorsport behind the scenes of the tyre fans, prominent drivers and director Mario Theissen. supplier at the challenge of enthusiasts who join the the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Rallye!

First broadcast 1st August Festival of Speed. The Campionato . Dutch Supercar The Goodwood Behind the scenes of the Italiano Turismo For fast lap times every Challenge. Festival of Speed 1. most legendary motor sport Series. driver needs a car that It has got a big variety of Highlights from the hill climb event in Great Britain. Let’s Get to know one of the most handles predictably. It cars as well as race events and the Dunlop stable yard see who the Earl of March popular drivers of this Italian sounds simple – but it’s not. spread over Europe. Meet 2011. All the old-timers and invited this year racing series. The interplay of suspension the drivers and get to know their “aged” owners! and tyres with the car’s their cars in this popular steering is much greater than Dutch racing series! the turn of a might suggest. First broadcast 15th August VW Scirocco Cup. Free4style. Speed Academy The Dunlop Drift French car Legends. In its second season the low Incredible tricks and jumps. Hockenheim. Challenge. 125th anniversary of French emission race series is FMXStar Mat Rebeaud Five young racers and their It is the national Austrian car history – the attracting more and more explains the impact on his first tyre lesson to learn. The championship in drifting. manufacturers and famous drivers such as Dunlop tyres on that action rookies from the Speed Real enthusiasts show us and their early Strietzel Stuck, Martin loaded event! Academy learn how to feel their world of racing. involvement in the first motor Brundle or Jacques Laffite. and read their performance.. sport events. RACES TO COME

QUESTIONS with Jean-Félix Bazelin JUNE 10 JUNE June 23-26 24 hour GT - Nurburgring 24

June 23-25 Moto2 - Assen TT, Netherlands June 25-26 International GT Open / European F3 Open – Spa Francorchamps - Begium

JULY July 2-3 International GT Open – Nürburgring, Germany July 3 Moto2 – Mugello, Italy July 3 Le Mans Series / Intercontinental Le Mans Cup – Imola, Italy July 3 MX – Uddevala, Sweden July 8-10 AMA Superbike – Mid-Ohio, Lexington, Ohio, USA July 8-10 V8 Supercars – Townsville, Australia July 8-9 ALMS – North East Grand Prix, Lakeville, Connecticut, USA How old are you? If you weren’t doing this what would you be doing? July 9-10 World Enduro – GP of Romania Far too old (I don’t remember…) Sleeping or making watches (or both in turn). July 10 CEV – Albacete, Spain July 10 MX – Teutschenthal, Germany Where do you live? What do you do away from work? July 15-17 Moto2 – Sachsenring, Germany Birmingham UK. Running, reading, sleeping, seeing my family (not enough) and July 17 MX - Kegums, there are so many things that I’d like to do that we will need 14 July 17 Dutch Supercar Challenge – Zolder, What are the key qualities are required for your job? other “Ten questions with .....” to exhaust the subject. July 22-24 AMA Superbike – US Grand Prix, Laguna Seca, California, USA As General Manager Motorsport EU the key qualities required July 23-24 International GT Open / European F3 Open - , UK are a sense of humour, passion and resilience. Which is your favourite circuit to visit and why? July 22-24 – Mosport International Raceway, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada I have three: Le Mans because of the bridge, the heritage, July 30-31 24 Hour GT - Spa 24 Could you build a tyre yourself if left the keys to the the ambiance at 24 Hours races. Spa because of the track July 31 Endurance World Championship - Suzuka 8hr factory? layout, the surrounding, the food. Ledenon (France) because July 31 MX - Lommel, , Belgium I could build a tyre, but I would not let anybody to fit it on a it is where I drove a racing car for the first time (an Alpine car or bike. A310 Group 4 in 1981). AUGGUSTUST August 6-7 BTCC – Snetterton, UK What is your favourite tyre? What car do you drive / bike do you ride? August 7 MX – Loket, Czech Republic The one which will win next race. I drive an (and dream of a Lotus Elan Sprint, the same August 7 Dutch Supercar Challenge – Assen, Netherlands as Emma Peel in “The Avengers”*). I ride a mountain bike. August 12-14 AMA Superbike – Virginia International Raceway, Virginia, USA What’s the best aspect about working for Dunlop? August 12-14 Britcar – Snetterton, UK The team spirit and the passion of people for THEIR brand * In fact Emma Peel had a S2 and then a S3 Lotus and never a Sprint (but I August 12-14 Moto2 – Brno, Czech Republic (our blood is more yellow than red). love the pistachio green / white one)