Let's talk tyres

[jhansen]

Just read an article about the domination of Michelin tyres at the Le Mans test day. After reviewing the time sheets you can see that this is so. I decided to take a look at the LMP1 class and found the following results.

The following teams (10 cars total) are on Michelin tyres: Veloqx, Champion, Goh, Pescarolo, Zytek, Labre, Noel Del Bello, and Spinnaker.

The following teams (8 cars total) are on Dunlop tyres: Racing For Holland, Rollcentre, Lister, Taurus, Nasamax (I think) and RML.

Miscellaneous: Kondo have Yokohamas

The only team I couldn’t verify was Intersport. They ran Goodyears last year, but couldn’t see a sticker on the car and nothing mentioned on the website.

Michelin have been the obvious choice of the Audi cars and the Bentleys last year. Michelin are also being credited for a big portion of the speed jump of the Audis. I confess to not knowing much about the tyre situation. Can anyone give me opinions on the other available options? Anything from rumors to facts would be great. Obviously Corvette created a stir in GTS by switching from Goodyear to Michelin. Tyres can be key. Racing for Holland, Rollcentre and Kondo are quick cars that are not running Michelins. How bad will this hurt or benefit them?

Thanks for any comments!

[pirenzo]

Well, perhaps Michelin's F1 involvement is rubbing off on their sportscar tyres, but somehow i doubt it, perhaps only in the formula of rubber used, but the construction will of course be totally different. I'd have thought actually with Dunlop not having F1 to concentrate on, Sportscars and Motorbikes would become the priority, and so the Dunlops shopuld at least in theory have moved on a bit, but then again they're not as big a company as Michelin...
I confess that i don't know much about the general situation of tyres in Sportscars, i have no idea which tyres respond best in certain conditions, but i assume that given variations in track moisture and temperature, as well as obviously how well a given chassis works it's tyres will make the difference between having a good tyre and a bad tyre. Unless Michelin are so far in advance of the others that no matter what the track conditions are they have the best tyre, which i doubt very much.
Going on actual lap times too it would seem that the tyres are pretty even, so i don't think any one team has much to worry about, but i reckon perhaps the Michelins are better than the rest, but only marginally.
The worst tyres are probably those Yokohamas with so few teams running them, it hardly gives them much chance of getting in lots of testing miles if they've only got one car. And therefore probably little incentive to put some money behind their Sportscar tyres...

I'm sure someone can give actual details though, i'm just going off observations and gut feeling here.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by jhansen
Racing for Holland, Rollcentre and Kondo are quick cars that are not running Michelins. How bad will this hurt or benefit them?

Well not only is it the pace, but also the wear. Michelin seem to be strong in all departments. Expect Michelin teams to have no issues in doing multiple stints on a single set of tyres.

Has it hurt them. Well assuming there is no difference in funding/price or technical feedback from running Michelins or another tyre then yes I think it will.

The high profile switch by Corvette is a fair indication that the Michelins are good. There performance has stepped up this year (although not just due to the tyres) and it'd have to be a good reason to make them change away from Goodyear!

Also Bentley changed too, for the year they had to win. Despite the historical link to Dunlop.

Originally posted by pirenzo
perhaps Michelin's F1 involvement is rubbing off on their sportscar tyres, but somehow i doubt it, perhaps only in the formula of rubber used, but the construction will of course be totally different.

I bet there is night and day ()between the F1 and sportscar tyres. However the methodology of research is the same and maybe avenues of development for one sparks ideas for the other.

I agree generally that Michelin aren't so much better than the rest, but they are the best in every aspect. Durability, consistency and grip.

And a good question. What are the comparisons in wet weather?

[jhansen]

Thanks for the response Adam. I figured you might have some input. I also did think about tyre wear. And I believe hearing last season that the Goodyears could not stand up to double stinting like the Michelins could. As for wet weather, I have no idea.

[Mags]

Well, all I can tell you is at Sebring, Ron Fellows specifically said in the post Press Conference that Corvette switched to Michelin specifically with winning Le Mans in mind.

[Javi]

I have read someone from GM saying that michelins accounted for a second a lap on a track like Laguna Seca..., just imagine Le Mans.
I guess every LM winner since 1997 (Joest Porsche on goodyears) has won with Michelin tyres. That must mean something...

[Redlake27]

I think there is very little to choose between any of the top tyre companies in terms of technology. The difference often comes down to focus.

For example, I wouldn't say that Bridgestone were better than Michelin in F1, but have won four races this year, but their other cars have brought up the rear. Why? focus on one team.

When Goodyear were in F1 they dominated. But occasionally a Pirelli or Bridgestone car would throw up a freak result because of focus on that car and its set up. (Benetton, Mexico 86, Hill, Hungary 97).

The same goes for sportscar racing. Dunlop are terrifically successful in GT racing in national championships, but Michelin have the focus on the cream of FIA teams.

In Bike racing, Michelins focus is on MotoGP, Dunlop on Superbike racing. The result: Domination of each chosen championship.
.

[Fieldgate]

The Michies are "perceived" to give you a ~2 second a lap advantage in the dry at Lemans (Porsche curves & chicanes). The Dunlops have been focussed on longevity.

If it's wet, look for that difference to disappear and possibly reverse.

As a semi-interesting aside, Rollcentre have found the set-up completely different for Dunlops than the Oreca "line-in-the-sand"...

& look for some more speed focussed qualifying times - currently car is gorgeous for race-distance comfort !