Michelin reins in the Principality

Ever since the Rally Monte-Carlo was organised for the first time in 1911, the event’s trademark changeable, wintry conditions have played a major part in forging its popularity and reputation. Although there was no snowy backdrop to this year’s rally, competitors still had to cope with icy roads in France’s Ardèche and Vercors Mountains before tackling the legendary Col du Turini stage on the penultimate day.

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.”

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.

Evidence of the versatility of MICHELIN’s tyres

Rally de Espana, the 12th and penultimate round of the 2011 World Rally Championship, was based on a mixed travel/asphalt route which saw MICHELIN rise successfully to a two fold challenge.
The menu of the opening day featured two attempts at a loop of three loose-surface stages which, for the first and only time this season, [...]

A successful ‘hot and cold’ workout for the MICHELIN Pilot Sport

Tyre strategy played a role in Sunday’s close fight (October 2) between the two front-runners Sébastien Ogier, whose CITROEN DS3 WRC was on ‘H’ tyres, with two ‘H’ spares in the boot, and Dani Sordo whose MINI John Cooper Works left morning service on the ‘S’ option, with a single ‘S’ as a spare

The MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross H1 delivers in slippery Australia

After kicking off in heavy rain which made the stages particularly slippery and challenging, the remainder of the 2011 Rally Australia took place in fine, sunny conditions and on roads which were perfectly suited to the hard-compound MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross H1.

MICHELIN passes the ‘elk test’

It is a unique event which calls for a specific driving style and perfect car control, a quality which Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena clearly boast and which certainly helped the CITROEN DS3 WRC crew claim today’s victory in Jyväskylä. The pair completed the three-day rally 8.1s clear of Finns Jari-Matti Latvala/Mikka Antilla (FORD Fiesta RS WRC), while their CITROEN team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia finished a further 4.7s back.

Michelin Latitude Cross S1

Rallying is a national passion in Argentina! Many tens of thousands of spectators lined this weekend’s stages to cheer on the drivers who faced an exhausting challenge due to the difficulty of the varied route which included sandy ground, stony trails and… pristine asphalt! The punishing test to which the 2011 Rally Argentina put the cars and drivers set the scene for the debut of the soft-compound version of the MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross S1.

Renewed praise for the MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross in Sardinia

The 2011 Rally Italia Sardegna was won by Sébastien LOEB, ahead of Mikko HIRVONEN (+11,2s) and Petter SOLBERG (+23.8s). The idyllic weather contributed to the quality of the show to which the spectators were treated.

The new MICHELIN LATITUDE Cross tyre unanimously acclaimed in Jordan

The organisers of the 2011 Jordan Rally WRC overcame a host of pre-start logistical problems to provide a thrilling, high quality show. The action featured another exciting battle between CITROEN and FORD which ended in victory for Sébastien OGIER, his co-driver Julien INGRASSIA and their CITROEN DS3 WRC.