PIRELLI NOMINATED AS SOLE TYRE SUPPLIER FOR NEW BLANCPAIN GT SERIES ASIA
20.10.2016
Pirelli has expanded its prestigious GT racing portfolio with an agreement to exclusively supply the newly created Blancpain GT Series Asia next year. The Italian tyre firm has enjoyed a close and successful long-term partnership with the Blancpain GT Series within Europe, with the new Asia championship now forming the next logical step in a vital growing market for ultra high performance tyres.
The inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia will take in 12 one-hour races over six rounds in four countries, with three of the venues also used for Formula 1: where Pirelli is once more the exclusive supplier.
The new championship will use GT3 and GT4 cars, featuring Pirelli’s P Zero tyres, which have starred on the Blancpain GT Series this year by providing both performance and durability. These are versatile tyres that work very well with a wide variety of vehicle architectures and configurations, as well as an ample range of different circuit and weather conditions. This versatility on the track perfectly mirrors the multiplicity of driving conditions encountered on the road, reinforcing the link between competition tyres and Pirelli’s P Zero for everyday use.
Pirelli’s P Zero competition GT tyres are all derived from Formula 1 technology, using many of the same modelling and design processes, which ultimately translate into more advanced ultra high performance road car tyres. As a result, the vast majority of the world’s supercar and hypercar manufacturers currently nominate P Zero as original equipment: including the manufacturers at the forefront of GT racing.
The tyre rules for Asia will be similar to those adopted by the Blancpain GT Series, with just one slick compound to decrease costs but increase competition. For wet conditions, there is a single Cinturato WH treaded tyre that is capable of rapidly dispersing surface water to allow racing to continue even in heavy rain.
The new Asian championship will be promoted by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation, which is at the helm of a number of other GT championships that Pirelli exclusively supplies, such as the British GT Championship as well as the Blancpain GT Series, plus the FIA GT
World Cup in Macau. Additionally, Pirelli was appointed as sole supplier to the China GT championship earlier this year, reinforcing the company’s sporting presence in the region.
Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “GT racing is absolutely at the heart of what we do as the world leader in ultra high performance tyres, so we’re delighted to extend our partnership with the Stéphane Ratel Organisation through this important new
championship. In terms of return on investment for manufacturers and partners, as well as close competition and entertainment for fans, the Blancpain GT format is hard to equal.
The Asia-Pacific region is crucial for us strategically, so we look forward to being represented at the forefront of what is sure to be another closely-contested and exciting GT championship.”
2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia Calendar
April 8-9: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
May 20-21: Chang International Circuit, Thailand
June 24-25: Suzuka International Circuit, Japan
August 19-20: Fuji International Circuit, Japan
September 23-24: Shanghai International Circuit, China
October 21-22: Zhejiang Circuit, China
(Quelle: Pirelli)
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