MEDIA INFORMATION Fuji Speedway, Japan, October 9, 2015
2015 FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Fuji
Michelin tyres: top level safety, performance and longevity in shifting weather conditions
Round 6 of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), on October 11, takes teams to Fuji Speedway near the famous Japanese mountain of the same name. The 4.563km track features an exceptionally long main straight which is 1.5km in length. The facility was built in 1965 and has been owned by Toyota since 2000.
Fuji Speedway is located near Oyama, in Shizuoka Province, around 100km from Tokyo. Local weather patterns are influenced by the venue’s proximity to the sea and forecasters predict that conditions will be dry for Friday’s free practice, with a risk of rain for Sunday’s race after a cloudy qualifying session. Although air temperatures are expected to remain at around 17 to 19°C, the track temperature will obviously be affected by the presence of sunshine or otherwise.
“Because of the weather forecast for the 2015 6 Hours of Fuji, and according to our simulations, the LM P1 cars could run three, or even four different types of tyre over the weekend: the MICHELIN Soft for low or high temperatures depending on the team, the MICHELIN Hybrid for damp conditions, and wet weather tyres if there is rain, notably on Sunday,” notes Jérôme Mondain, manager of Michelin’s FIA WEC programme. “For the LM GTE Pro and Am crews, our range comprises a choice of two medium-compound slicks and two rain tyres. As in LM P1, our partners will choose between the two slick options as a function of the track temperature and their respective race strategies. Our rain tyres will be ready in case they are required.”
Dry weather: After opting for the ‘high temperature soft compound’ at the last round in Austin (Texas, USA), the drivers could find choices for the 2015 6 Hours of Fuji a little more delicate. With the track temperature likely to fluctuate between 17 and 25°C, the conditions will be in an ‘overlap’ zone between the soft Michelins (or mediums in the case of the LM GTE cars) for low or high temperatures. The drivers and teams will decide as a function of their respective strategies, aided by their Michelin technical adviser who will be there to assist their calculations and simulations.
Damp or wet conditions: the Michelin range includes ‘wet’ tyres which are designed to clear water in persistent rain. The LM P1-H teams will also be able to fit the MICHELIN Hybrid which was first introduced for the firm’s FIA WEC partners in 2012. It doesn’t have a tread pattern and resembles a slick, yet it delivers a high level of grip in damp conditions thanks to the special compound that is employed for the crown.
Heavy rain: Michelin’s range also features ‘full wets’ which have a significantly grooved pattern that is capable of clearing up to 180 litres of water per second to ensure contact between the rubber and the ground.
Tyres are consequently poised to play a key role in how the 2015 6 Hours of Fuji unfolds. The maximum number of tyres available for the race is six sets per car.
MEDIA INFORMATION Fuji Speedway, Japan, October 9, 2015
In the other classes, all the cars will most probably run a softer choice than the tyres they fitted at Austin.
Michelin’s tyres for the 2015 6 Hours of Fuji, by class:
LM P1 prototypes (31/71-18)
Dry ground:
- SOFT ‘HIGH TEMPERATURE’ slicks: between 40°C and 20°C - SOFT ‘LOW TEMPERATURE’ slicks: track temperature < 20°C
Damp or drying conditions:
- MICHELIN Hybrid
Rain:
- WETs - Full WETs
Allocation for the race at Fuji: 6 sets
LM GTE Pro and Am (front: 30/68-18 / rear: 31/71-18)
Dry ground:
- MEDIUM slicks: between 40°C and 18°C - MEDIUM ‘LOW TEMPERATURE’ slicks: track temperature < 18°C
Wet ground:
- WETs - Full WETs
Allocation for the race at Fuji: 6 sets
Total number of tyres available at Fuji for Michelin’s 23 partners: 2,300