IN TOUCH MOTORSPORT NEWS ISSUE 14 NOVEMBER ’10 DUNLOP TAKEs endurance world championship

THIS ISSUE: Moto2 round-up 125gp world title ILMC ZHuhai mx of nations THIS ISSUE: dunlop enters mx1-gp DOWNLOAD IMAGE LMS 1000KM CASTELLET DUNLOP WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL DEBUT MOTO2 SEASON

The final round of the inaugural Moto2 World Championship at Valencia two weeks ago marked the end of a hugely successful first season for Dunlop as the sole tyre supplier in the all-new 600cc class. The season saw no less than nine different riders take the chequered flag and stand on top of the podium with Carbion AB Motoracing’s Czech rider Karel Abraham taking his only win of the year at the finale. Toni Elias came out on top with seven race wins, 3 starts and 271 points to be the first ever Moto2 World Champion, his consistency giving him the title three rounds previously at Sepang in . Despite recording no race wins it was Spanish Mapfre Aspar rider Julian Simon who took second in the championship. Simon took eight podium finishes to secure 201 points, just two points clear of Fimmco ’s on 199 points, the Italian rider managing three race wins and a further five podiums over the year.

The 2011 test season got straight underway the day after the Valencia race, 35 Moto2 riders took to the track for the first official test to evaluate bikes and development Dunlop tyres for the following season. Some riders, notably Toni Elias and Karel Abraham, are moving up to the MotoGP class, but several newcomers - including Bradley Smith and his new team-mate were making their first laps on the Moto2 bikes they will ride next year.

From December 1st to January 31 no testing is permitted for any of the MotoGP classes The Dunlop Moto2 trackside team of 13 fitted 10,000 Dunlop tyres to the Moto2 competitors over the race season. Six variations of front slick tyre and nine variations of slick rear tyre were developed for the season along with wet tyres. Dunlop will continue as sole supplier of tyres to the Moto2 World Championship for the 2011 and 2012 season.

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The final round of the 2010 FIM World Endurance was the first rider, getting off the line quickly to Championship, The 8 Hours of Doha on the 14th take the lead which the team held for the duration of November, saw the Dunlop shod of the race, ultimately winning with a four lap Endurance Racing Team take the chequered flag advantage over second place. to secure not just the race victory but also the 2010 championship title. The championship “This is a fantastic achievement for us,” said victory marks the tenth time the French team has Dunlop Stephen Male. “The clinched the world title in their history and the FIM World Endurance series represents one of 14th time Dunlop has won the title in the 28 the toughest challenges in racing; our trackside years of the championship. customers demand tyres that work day or night, Riders Vincent Philippe, and hot or cold, whether it’s wet or dry. The length of Freddy Foray put in a strong performance in the the races means the tyres also need greater previous day’s qualifying, Guintoli putting in the durability than traditional ‘sprint’ race tyres, in turn team’s best lap of 2’00.862 to take second on helping us to develop high performance road the grid, just over five tenths off pole. Philippe tyres in line with our race-to-road philosophy.” DOWNLOAD IMAGE ELIAS wins FIRST TITLE As Toni Elias crossed the line in fourth place at Sepang in Malaysia on Sunday 10th October on his Moto2 (Moriwaki) bike, he stepped into history as the first ever Moto2 World Champion. The 27 year old Spanish rider also realised his first world championship title in the eleventh year of racing on the world stage. Elias who entered the 125GP stage in 1999 on Dunlop’s, was one of the few riders to score points in every single one of the first fourteen races of the 2010 championship, winning seven of them, making him nearly twice as successful as his nearest rival rider. Winning his first Moto2 race in Spain earlier in the year promoted him to an exclusive club consisting of only seven riders who have won races in four different categories of GP racing; 125, 250, Moto2 and MotoGP.

“When I crossed the line the first thing I did was cry a lot,” said Tony Elias after his Sepang victory. “But then after that it seemed like my emotions were blocked, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t feel anything; I don’t know why. Now, minute by minute, I feel better, because I know it’s all true. But maybe I will start crying again in a few minutes! Finally we reached our target....It has been many years of fighting and then this year a lot of work with my team and with Moriwaki. This title is for my parents, my sister, all my friends and everyone who has worked with me during my career. It is also for the people who are not here, like my uncle, who died four years ago, and for (Shoya) Tomizawa (Elias’ Moto2 rival who died following an accident during last month’s Misano Moto2 race). My dream has come true, now we will continue fighting for another championship.”

DOWNLOAD IMAGE Marquez claims First ever World Championship 17yr old Spanish rider Marc Marquez claimed a fourth position finish on his Dunlop shod 125cc Red Bull bike at the GP Generali de la Communitat Valenciana to claim the 2010 125cc World Championship, his first title. Despite a year that started with a number of crashes, Marquez took five race wins in a row from Mugello onwards, taking the championship lead mid-season. Further crashes at Indianapolis and Aragon meant a temporary loss of the championship lead, but the young Spaniard fought back to win every one of the end of season fly away races to get back into the title contention. He arrived in Valencia having won at Estoril and only needing a top eight finish to secure the title, securing it finally with his fourth place finish at the Spanish season finale. Marquez, the second youngest rider to ever win a Grand Prix World Championship, took ten race wins and 12 pole position starts on his way to the 2010 championship title, the most race wins in a single season ever by a Spanish 125cc rider.

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Dunlop’s endurance racing season came to a successful conclusion with race wins and titles around the world. The tyre manufacturer secured the GT2 manufacturers’ title in the American Le Mans Series with its partner team BMW Rahal Letterman Racing. BMW Team Schnitzer won the GT2 class at the final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in Zhuhai, China, and Dunlop’s partner team OAK Racing won the ILMC LMP2 title. In America, the Dunlop-shod BMW M3 finished on the podium in every round of the ALMS, apart from the long-distance 1000 mile Petit Le Mans in Atlanta in October. There, Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand finished fourth in class, delivering BMW the Manufacturers’ title, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing the Teams’ title, and secured second position in the GT Tire Manufacturers’ standings for Dunlop. One month later, the final big endurance race of the year was held with a 1000km race in Zhuhai, China. and dominated the overall standings with their Le Mans cars, but Dunlop secured race wins in the LMP2 class through partner team OAK Racing which finished fifth overall, and with the GT2 category winning Schnitzer BMW. BMW’s win in the GT2 class was comfortable. The car, driven by Joerg Muller and , led from the first hour to the chequered flag, winning by 1.32min from the factory-backed and teams. “You can hardly wish for a more perfect race,” said Muller. “I have to pay a compliment to our tyre partner Dunlop: Our tyres were consistent from the very first lap, and comfortable to drive throughout the race.” Team manager Charly Lamm also praised the quality of the Dunlop tyres as part of the overall package. “Our team returned to endurance racing this year after a long absence, and we managed to improve our performance with the BMW M3 GT2 on a race by race basis,” said Lamm. “Our overall package of car, drivers, Dunlop tyres and the team was just very strong.” Dunlop propels BMW to ILMC WIN and ALMS titles Dunlop Denver Delight at MX of Nations

The 2010 Motocross of Nations saw the historic international event reach its 64th edition but as with the previous six meetings Team USA were able to re-print their name on the Chamberlain Trophy and walk away from Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Denver, Colorado coated in glory. AMA MX and SX Champion Ryan Dungey, AMA MX 250 Champion Trey Canard and local boy Andrew Short won two of the three motos between them using Suzuki and machinery booted with the grippy and potent Dunlop MX range.

The fine soil of Lakewood has been home to one of the finest dinosaur excavation sites in the world over the past two centuries but the roar of the three best off-road motorcycle racers from over 30 different countries echoed around the surrounding hillsides on the last weekend of September. It was Dungey who shone brightest and his second Nations success in just two appearances for the flag completed a remarkable and dominant season for the 20 year old on his RM-Z450. Next year’s contest will take place on the steep inclines of the St Jean D’Angely circuit on the west coast of France. DOWNLOAD IMAGE DOWNLOAD IMAGE DUNLOp partners up with OAK Racing in LMP1 after 2010 LMP2 success

After finishing the 2010 season on a high by winning the LMP2 class in the third and both parties, the necessary structures for the partnership’s full implementation are final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup as well as clinching the 2010 ILMC already in place. A test team dedicated only to the development programme has been LMP2 class title, Dunlop and OAK Racing will step up to the pinnacle of sportscar created within OAK Racing, while Dunlop has assigned a specialist development competition in 2011. Dunlop partners up with Oak Racing as it’s official LMP1 tyre engineer who will work alongside the company’s support crew which normally attends development partner. The decision comes after two successful seasons of collaboration each race. The integrated collaboration began at Portimao earlier this week under the in LMP2 where a strong partnership has been forged between the organisations. Now, supervision of Emmanuel Robinet, Director Technology Dunlop Motorsport EU. The OAK/Pescarolo’s prototype and Dunlop tyres will together take on the world’s leading team’s first two-day test as an LMP1 manufacturer held at Portimao in October is just endurance teams and manufacturers at the highest level of sportscar competition. For one of the tests planned before the start of the 2011 season at Sebring. DOWNLOAD IMAGE

Jason Plato won twice at to be crowned Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion for the second time in his career as a 42,000 crowd – a record for a BTCC event – crammed into the world-famous Kent venue to see the final 2010 round of the UK’s premier motor racing series. All teams and drivers compete using the same plato takes second type of tyre; the Sport Maxx BTCC – that complies with latest EU environmental regulations. Furthermore, to keep track of tyre allocation, each tyre is fitted with a pioneering RFID (radio frequency identification) tag that was developed between Dunlop and the BTCC. career btcc title American won the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup by finishing second to in a fantastic close to the 2010 season in Misano that was the setting for the final race of the season. Daijiro Hiura, the 16-year-old Japanese rider, finished third in both the final race and championship. It was an incredible championship win after a tough weekend for Gagne, whose engine stopped in the first qualifying session, forcing him to ride his backup bike in the second session. “It just didn’t feel right, and I couldn’t do better than 10th in the second session. They put a good engine in my bike for the race, and that was a lot better. I wasn’t too worried. I was pretty sure that if I made a good start I could run with the guys and do what I needed to take the Cup.”

The fourth Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup began at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez with 25 of the world’s best teenage racers. 15 nations are represented for 10 races in 2010, from as far apart as Japan, Australia and Brazil plus the length and breadth of Europe, from Sweden to Italy, from the to Spain. The Cup machinery is the KTM RC125, propelling the teenagers at GP speeds. All the Red Bull Rookie riders use Dunlop tyres with each rider being allowed two sets of slick tyres plus wet tyres for each race weekend.

With the top equipment and support the teenagers could not have a better springboard to a GP career. The last three years have already shown that the best of the Rookies get the chance to move on to the 125 Grand Prix category and both and Sturla Fagerhaug, first and second in last year’s Cup, have made JAKE gAGNE that step for the 2010 season. 2010 RED BULL MOTOGP ROOKIES CUP CHAMP DOWNLOAD IMAGE Dunlop and BMW brilliant in belgium Dunlop’s Need for Speed team took its second win of the year in the fortune as cars ahead crashed out. “The car has been quick this final round of the GT3 Championship at Zolder, Belgium. The Need year, and this is a good result for the end of the season,” said for Speed BMW Z4, running on Dunlop’s standard customer tyre, Soderlund. The final race of the year saw the sister car of Claudia won the first of two races at the classic Belgian circuit, and followed Huertgen and Csaba Walter take second place overall after the that up with a second place in the final race. The team re-built the exclusion of the leading on a technicality. Their exclusion Z4, driven by Patrick Soderlund and Edward Sandstrom, overnight is currently under appeal. The BMW, which was in its debut season, after a heavy qualifying accident. The car ran fifth after the compulsory was extremely competitive and Walter finished the season strongly, pit stop mid-race, and moved up to take the lead through a passing one of the fastest cars of the season on the as his combination of speed which took it past other competitors, and rival struggled for grip in the closing stages.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE Dutch driver clinched the 2010 KF2 World Button who conquered on Dunlop, but serves as a Championship in an adrenaline filled final race of the development class for young Dunlop tyre engineers as Dutch delight season in Zuera, Spain. The young gun conquered an well. With nearly no down force at all and over 2G of exciting victory on the very last lap to take the championship. cornering force, the 5 inch tyres supplied by Dunlop offer The 15 year old is supported by the McLaren F1 Team extreme levels of grip. Top speeds exceeding 160km/h what shows he is one of the most promising drivers of his and 0-100 acceleration in less than 4.5 seconds, proof generation. Since 1976 and with 14 World Championship that this is no sport for the faint hearted. Not just the titles to date, Dunlop is one of the main contenders in the conditions offer a great challenge for Dunlop engineers to world of karting. The breeding ground of motorsport has deliver the best tyres possible but the responsibility to not just been the stepping stone for high-profile F1 World support young drivers as well as the stars of today will Champions in the likes of and Jenson become World Champions of the future.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE DOWNLOAD IMAGE McWilliams clinches Transatlantic Harley-Davidson® XR1200 victory Former MotoGP rider and recently crowned British Harley-Davidson the title in the inaugural UK series at in August said; to Warr’s experience and expertise in prepping bikes and providing a XR1200 Trophy Champion, Jeremy McWilliams, has emerged victorious “Winning the final race in the American series was the icing on the cake in reliable and super competitive package.” from the final round of the Dunlop shod 2010 AMA Pro Vance & Hines what has been a fantastic and fun year racing the Warr’s XR1200. I was in Each road-going version of the XR1200 is equipped Dunlop Qualifier tyres, XR1200 series at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama on 26 some pain over the weekend due to the cracked ribs I sustained during a while the race bikes in the series use exclusively the D209 Racer tyre. One September. testing session in Spain, but I was determined to end the season on a front and two rears need to last the entire race weekend including practice, McWilliams who competed in the series as a guest rider after sealing high. To beat the other Harley riders in their own back yard is a testament qualifying, warm-up and two races on Sunday. DUNLOP A DOMINANT FORCE IN NATIONAL DOWNLOAD IMAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS ACROSS THE GLOBE

More than 75 national series titles have been won across the only Dutch Dunlop rider to taste championship victory Europe, Australia and USA on Dunlop this year, proof of in the , Verolme GrafiCom Racing Team rider the results of continued development in tyre technology Raymond Schouten ruled this year’s ONK Dutch including NTEC and Multitread (MT). Supersport Championship, winning the first ten races straight to take the title at Spa-Francorchamps with one Team MRC Austria rider Damian Cudlin claimed his first round remaining. international title in Europe at Hockenheim in September, winning the 2010 German IDM Supersport Championship Team Piellemoto Yamaha rider Fabio Massei took his in a dramatic season finale. The first race of the final Italian Superstock Championship fight to the last round, weekend saw him leading into the final lap to take the the Dunlop rider taking victory at Mugello on October 17th, championship, only to be taken out by his closest rival. beating championship rival TNT Racing’s After the rider was excluded Cudlin was still in with a to the line by six seconds to stand on the podium not just chance the following day for the final race, The Dunlop as race winner, but 2010 champion. shod Australian coming home in fourth to secure the #1 plate. The 2010 Isle of Man TT saw more records broken, rider Ian Hutchinson delivering an incredible sweep of victories In The Netherlands Dutch ONK Superbike Dunlop rider in all five race categories. This was also the second year Danny de Boer also took it to the wire, leaving it to the last running that Dunlop tyres had delivered victory in every race of the season for a dramatic fight at Assen to take his race class on the island. hard won Dutch Superbike Championship title. He wasn’t