The 2012 WRC Tyre Regulations in Brief

The tyres we have developed for the 2012 WRC were registered with the FIA at the end of 2011. Their specification will not change in the course of the season, with the exception of two so-called ‘joker card’ evolutions, one of which MICHELIN will be able to use to bring changes to its LATITUDE Cross gravel tyre and the other to its MICHELIN Pilot Sport

The 2012 Rally Monte-Carlo… in 10 Figures

38,000 The weight (in kilograms) of the MICHELIN tyres that will be available for the WRC, P-WRC and S-WRC competitors. That’s equivalent to the combined weight of their cars!

2012 Rally Monte-Carlo:The Lastest Regulations, Michelin’s WRC Tyre Range plus more

Several evolutions have taken place over the short winter break. First of all, the latest WRC tyre regulations have led to a reduction of almost 20 percent in the number of tyres competitors may use on each event. Meanwhile, crews will now be authorised to use two types of tyre on gravel rounds. These changes have been driven by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s determination to see motorsport play a part in paving the way for the mobility of tomorrow.

MICHELIN leads the way IN WRC

Jacques Morelli, the manager of MICHELIN’s rally programmes, was pleased with the performance of the hard-compound MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross H1 which was the only tyre authorised for the Australian round of the 2011 WRC: “Friday’s rain made the stages extremely slippery. The treads of the LATITUDE CROSS tyres became filled with compact mud and were unable to demonstrate their full potential with regard to grip. Even so, the event was able to continue, despite the fact rallies organised near Coffs Harbour are apparently frequently cancelled in wet weather because of the region’s clay-based tracks. The sun shone from Saturday onwards, though, and our tyres were able to deliver their usual performance.”

Jukka Korhonen Elected 2012 Pirelli UK Star Driver

Korhonen, the first driver not from Great Britain to win the award in its four-year history, will receive a fully-funded drive on next year’s British Rally Championship in a Skoda Fabia R2 run by TEG Sport. The car will run in a unique Pirelli Star Driver livery, highlighting the exceptional opportunity that Pirelli continues to give young rallying talent in Britain

MICHELIN’s 2011 rally season: a satisfying return to the sport

“Since 2005, the WRC has evolved significantly and, despite the experience of more than 30 years MICHELIN has built up in the discipline, it was a case of starting from a blank sheet of paper as we set about developing a new range of WRC tyres, namely the PILOT SPORT for asphalt, the LATITUDE CROSS for gravel and the X-ICE NORTH for the Swedish Rally

MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross A muddy finale to crown an outstanding year!

That was rewarded by an emphatic eighth world title for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena (CITROEN DS3 WRC), coupled with the first win of the year for Jari-Matti Latvala and his co-driver Miika Anttila (FORD FIESTA RS WRC).

The 2011 Wales Rally GB kicked off with two short asphalt stages before moving into the country’s familiar forests where the drivers were faced with the challenge of constantly changing grip and predominantly muddy, slippery surfaces.

Pirelli Star Driver Breen Wins Inaugural WRC Academy Title

Breen won the class on the Rally GB, his second win of the season, but the result left him tied on points with Estonian Egon Kaur, who claimed the first three rallies of the season. Under the WRC Academy rules, a tie-break is decided by the number of stage wins, and with more stage wins than his rival, Breen was crowned champion.

Pirelli-Supported WRC Academy set for Thrilling Final-Round Showdown

The inaugural FIA WRC Academy draws to a close on Wales Rally GB this week (November 10-12), with two young and talented drivers – Estonia’s Egon Kaur and Irishman Craig Breen – in contention for the title. For the first time, Pirelli’s K6 tyre will be used: designed for soft gravel and low temperatures, typical of the conditions found it Wales at this time of year.

Wales Rally GB 2011 WRC – Preview

The British round stands out as a unique challenge in the World Rally Championship with regard to tyres. The surface of the stages is described as ‘aggressive” and would normally call for harder-compound rubber. However, the decision to run soft-compound tyres was influenced by the frequently slippery conditions in wet weather. The MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross S1 tyres will consequently face a difficult weekend as they seek to deliver the ideal balance between grip, strength and durability.