IN TOUCH MOTORSPORT NEWS DUNLOP TAKES POLE AND CLASS VICTORIES AT NURBURGRING 24HRS TWO WHEELS FOUR WHEELS MX3 Le MaNS SeRIeS Finnish rider Antti Pyrhönen Victory in GT1 class for Dunlop wins his career first World at Spa-Franchorchamps Championship moto on Dunlop 1000kms > page 6 > page 3 ISSUE THREe – MAy ‘09 fou2 WHEELR WH NEWSEEL NEWS LeNu MANSRBuRgRINg 24 hRS DUNLOP CELEBRATES OVERALL POLE AND CLASS WINS AT NurBurGRING > Raeder Motorsport Ford gT driver Dirk adorf sneaks overall pole for Dunlop > BMW’s M3 gT4 in the hands of WTCC stars sets pole in gT4 class > Four class wins for VW & BMW on Dunlop tyres he Nurburgring 24 hours is one was dry throughout, and so the Tof the most important races on winning Porsche was able to set the German motorsport calendar a new distance record, beating and so it was with a large sense of the previous best by more than Class winning VW Scirocco BMW M3 sets pole in GT4 class pride that Dunlop started the 2009 100km. edition from pole position, and Dirk Adorf, sharing the was able to repair the damage, the Jorg Muller, Andy Priaulx, Marcus recorded fastest laps in various Raeder Motorsport Ford GT car retired just past half distance Schurig and Jochen Ubler. classes, and celebrated class with development driver Thomas with an engine problem. Not only was Dunlop setting victories. Mutsch, circuit designer Herman Dunlop shod cars set fastest fastest laps in qualifying and in the No fewer than 180 cars started Tilke and Marc Henerici, led the laps in many of the classes during race, but teams were converting the 2009 race, which takes place field away from the green lights, the dry, fast race. In the SP6 class, the speed into results. Vanina Ickx, on the famous north loop of the and fended off a determined BMW’s Z4 coupe driven by BMW’s Thomas Klenke, Peter Terting and German circuit. The drivers call challenge from the Manthey factory drivers who normally Klaus Niedzwiedz won the AT the race the “Green Hell” due to Porsche 997 for the opening few contest the World Touring Car class in their alternative fuelled VW the conditions faced, including laps. Championship Dirk Muller, Augusto Scirocco. They completed more huge speed differential between Unfortunately, with so many Farfus, sharing with Claudia than 3,500 kilometers on their way the fastest and slowest cars, starters, traffic is always a problem Huertgen, set the fastest lap of to 17th position overall. the potential for snow, fog and and so it proved just five laps into the class with an 8m54.972s lap. Dunlop aslo helped BMW to two rain during the race, and the the race when the German slid off In the SP10 class, for GT4 cars, class wins, adding further laurels to challenging nature of the 25 km the track while lapping another car. BMW’s brand new M3 GT4 started the tyre company’s long history of circuit which first opened in 1927. The incident heavily damaged the from the class pole, and recorded success in endurance racing. This year’s race, unusually, front of the car. Though the team the fastest race lap in the hands of BMW Z4 driven by WTCC drivers Muller and Farfus, joined by Claudia Huertgen Pole-sitter Raeder Motorsport Ford GT leading the field > page 2 WWW.DUNLOP-TIRES.COM fou2 WHEELR WH NEWSEEL NEWS Le MaNS SeRIeS VICTorY for DuNLOP AT SPA! > Luc alphand aventures wins Spa 1000kms and moves into gT1 class lead > LMS gT2 results remain provisional > ginetta Zytek fastest in LMp2 on Dunlop tyres JMW Motorsport F430GT finished on the podium; second or third unlop celebrated victory Alphand Aventures moves into the Din the Spa 1000kms, the lead of the teams’ classification. race, to third place in class. Zytek, but they were forced to retire second race of the 2009 Le Mans > Controversy in GT2 However, in post race checks, after just 64 laps. The full focus for Series. Patrice Goueslard, Luc The GT2 class, for GT cars the winning Porsche 997 was the Le Mans Series now shifts to Alphand and Yann Clairay won which run either with smaller tyres excluded, promoting the Ferrari to the iconic Le Mans circuit for the the GT1 class in their road-based or more weight than the GT1 cars, second position. The results of the 77th edition of the legendary 24 Corvette C6R, a lap ahead of was plunged into controversy race are provisional pending an hour race on June 13th and 14th. the Lamborghini Murcielago of after the Spa 1000kms when the appeal by the Porsche team. Dunlop will be supplying tyres to Peter Kox, Eric Janis and Filip winning car was thrown out of the > Fastest lap for Dunlop in LMP2 11 competing cars including the Salaquarda. results on a technicality. Olivier Pla and Miguel Amaral JMW Motorsport Ferrari F430 and The French reigning champion Dunlop’s JMW Ferrari F430GT set the fastest race lap in their the Luc Alphand Aventure Corvette team has switched from Michelin was leading the race comfortably LMP2 class Dunlop-shod Ginetta C6R. to Dunlop this season, and is when an error in the pits forced two already enjoying success. The pit stops in quick succession for team led the first race in Barcelona Italian driver Gianmaria Bruni. With in April before a driver error put the high level of competition within the Corvette into the gravel. There the class, that dropped him, and were no such problems at Spa Rob Bell who shared the driving and with victory in Belgium, Luc during the five hour, 45 minute May poDIuM FINISheS Class winning Corvette C6R of Luc Alphand Aventures Luc Alphand Aventures victorious in GT1 class at Spa Fastest lap for Dunlop in LMP2 with Ginetta Zytek INTeRNaTIoNaL RaCe CLaSSeS NEWS TELEX > BTCC: After four races in the British Touring Car Championship, Matt Neil is Paffett, Spengler and Ekström celebrate EuroSpeedway podium in DTM topping the driver standings driving his Vauxhall Vectra VXR albeit winning just one race of 12 on four various tracks. The BTCC series organisers have announced dramatic changes to the technical regulations for 2011 covering two-litre turbo-charged engines, front-wheel-drive and larger cars only. > DTM: The German Touring Car series dominated by Audi and Mercedes and with all 21 cars on Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres, is two races into the season. The first race at Hockenheim was dominated by Audi drivers Scheider and Kristensen. At the Eurospeedway it was Mercedes driver Gary Paffett’s turn to take the top podium spot. > MINI-CHALLENGE: Mini celebrated its 50th birthday at Silverstone where both the German and British Mini- Challenge competed in various races. All Mini Cooper S cars run on Dunlop 215/45R17 Dunlop Formula R slick racing tyres. British Mini-Challenge podium GT-Open podium Algarve > page 3 WWW.DUNLOP-TIRES.COM fou2 WHEELR WH NEWSEEL NEWS DuNLop Art CaR CoMpeTITIoN 2009 JMW MoTorSPorT F430GT Winning design by Christian Baur ‘DuNLOP’ cAR BREAKS COVER > german designer wins DaCC with ‘Feel the Road’ theme > Total of 180 designs submitted by hopeful entrants > Drivers Rob Bell, Tim Sugden and andrew Kirkaldy to drive ‘Dunlop art Car’ at Le Mans 24hrs n 2008 the LMS GT2 championship compliments all contestants on their Iwinning and Dunlop supported creative skills and ingenuity. Spurred Ferrari F430 appeared in a yellow by the enthusiasm generated, Dunlop Dunlop branded livery that struck a put together a senior jury board, chord with fans and the paddock combining marketing, design and alike, so much so that the car was racing expertise. Dunlop Europe dubbed the ‘Dunlop car’. To build Brand Director Frédéric Schilling had on the popularity of the car Dunlop the pleasure of chairing the following Europe organized a pan European five experts who helped him pick the livery design competition called the designs that best expressed Dunlop’s Dunlop Art Car Competition (DACC). ‘Feel the Road’ concept. The panel The final result will be unveiled for all consisted of Jim McWhirter, owner to see at the upcoming Le Mans race of the JMW Motorsport Team, Daniel weekend as German competition Poissenot, Directeur Sports AOC winner Christian Bauer’s design (Organizer of the 24 Hours of Le graces the JMW Motorsport Ferrari Mans), Alfredo Palme, Pininfarina F430GT competing in the GT2 class. Chief Designer, Philippe Peter, LMS Twenty designs made it through (Le Mans Series) Organization and the preliminary national competitions Jean Felix Bazelin, Dunlop Motorsport that were held in Germany, France, General Manager. designs on the special DACC website and 2008 has already scored two Spain, Portugal and the UK. From Also present at the race will be the at www.Dunlop.eu. podiums in the 2009 LMS campaign these 20 European semi finalists three finalist designers nominated by The JMW Motorsport Team driver and looks set to continue the success four designers have been invited to the jury, Christian Baur from Germany, line up for Le Mans consists of regular with Kirkaldy and Sugden onboard. join the 24 Hour of Le Mans race as Mrick Narbot from France, Christelle driver Rob Bell who will be joined by Kirkaldy drives with Bell in the FIA Dunlop’s VIP guests. Tea and Giselle Navarette from Andrew Kirkaldy and Tim Sugden for GT Championship and Sugden is a Dunlop would like to thank all France. The fourth finalist, Joao the legendary 24hrs race on the 13th Le Mans veteran and manages the of the 180 DACC participants for Pedro from Portugal, was selected by and 14th of June. Bell is no stranger JMW Motorsport Team when he’s not their efforts in making the livery members of the public who had the to success with the Ferrari, the behind the wheel.