Respected Japanese tyre manufacturer Toyo has announced that it will once again be the choice of control rubber for the hugely popular Toyota MR2 Championship. The move sees the company’s proven and trusted R888 road-legal semi-slick tyre being used on all competitor’s cars throughout a packed season of racing at the UK’s most famous and popular circuits
The MR2 Championship can trace its roots back to the 750MC Roadsports series in 2003. Originally conceived as a low-cost form of motor racing, Mk1 MR2s raced within the RoadSports rules and class structure, but also to their own more restrictive regulations. By tightly controlling the permitted performance modifications, a competitive car could be built on a budget, with some competitors even opting to keep the cars road legal and drive them to race meetings!
From 2005 however, it was the quicker and more accomplished Mk2 version that ruled the roost. The start of the 2007 season saw unprecedented levels of registrants, with some races during the season dividing the two classes into separate grids. Championship status was applied for and granted by the MSA allowing drivers to score points for the first time in 2008.
In line with the series' ethos of affordable racing, 2009 saw the introduction of the Mk3 MR2 class, as prices dropped to an affordable level. While not as powerful as the Mk2, the MR2 Roadster has a much lighter chassis and shares it's running gear with the Lotus Elise S, making for incredibly close racing, These days, the championship runs capacity grids, with tracks such as Silverstone, Donington, Cadwell Park and Rockingham featuring heavily on the calendar. As a means of getting into cost-effective motorsport, driving a fully sorted mid-engined racecar surely has to be the perfect stepping stone to greater things!
Commenting on the continuing relationship, Toyo Tires’ Technical and Motorsport Director Alan Meaker said, “The Toyota MR2 Championship has always been popular, but the field for 2015 looks to be the most exciting line-up yet. This is a fantastic championship, with superb driving standards and wonderful camaraderie, so to continue as the control tyre is fantastic news for us. The Proxes R888 also works very well on these chassis’ set-ups, allowing drivers to really make the most of the MR2’s surprising abilities on the track.”
