Bespoke tyres developed for UK’s fastest circuit
At the third round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Dunlop will bring proven technology tailored to the demands of the Thruxton Circuit, the fastest circuit in the UK.
Dunlop will supply a bespoke tyre specially created to optimise performance at Thruxton, which is a different specification to the Soft or Medium Compound BTCC tyres used at the other circuits on the 2015 calendar.
Thruxton, due to its unique combination of high kerbs, abrasive surface and long, high speed corners places unique demands on a tyre.Q+A with Michael Butler, Dunlop BTCC Manager
Why is Thruxton such a tough circuit on tyres?
Thruxton is the fastest circuit on the calendar. However, compared to most fast circuits that have long straights, Thruxton is one long sequence of curves that constantly put tyres under heavy load. Even the start finish ‘straight’ is curved!
In addition, the circuit has a very abrasive surface and our Thruxton tyre has a compound that has been proven to cope with this.
We also find the kerbs at the chicane and the complex are very aggressive and our revised construction is designed to tackle the challenge of a tyre impacting with these kerbs at high speed.
What support do you offer the teams to optimize the tyre performance?
At all rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship we have a group of highly qualified tyre engineers who monitor the pressure and temperature of each tyre whenever the car comes into the pits during practice, qualifying and after the race. Measuring the temperature across the tread face of the tyre can highlight if teams are running a set up that is too aggressive to provide optimum performance over a full race distance.
Our unique Radio Frequency ID chips in the tyres allow us to monitor the usage of each tyre and assist the teams in managing their allocation of tyres over the weekend.
What guidelines do you issue to teams?
With this special tyre, it is critically important to run specific vehicle camber settings and tyre pressures to optimize its performance. In previous years, the winning teams have followed these settings and had strong tyre performance throughout the weekend. We will share this advice and guidance from previous year’s success with all the teams.
Do you also advise on specific tyre pressures for Thruxton?
Tyre pressures vary from car to car and are also dependent on set-up and driving style. Our analysis of tyre temperatures and pressures from qualifying and practice will allow us to guide the teams on what pressures they should run in the race. When tyre pressures are low at the start of the race, we also advise avoiding the kerbs until the tyres are up to full operating pressure and temperature.
Dunlop talk racing technology in tyres relating to road going tyres. Is the Thruxton circuit challenge relevant for road tyres as well?
Tyres, whether for the racetrack or the road, are complex things formed of many components. Maintenance and inspection are critical to getting them to function optimally. We recommend that all motorists inspect their tyres regularly, check pressures, avoid kerbing their tyres and have their geometry checked – just as we do with our BTCC teams, carrying out these checks and taking appropriate action will maximize tyre life and performance.
