Cardiff, October 23 2009 – Pirelli places its trust in Scorpion tyres for the Rally of Great Britain, the last stage of the WRC, now having reached its 65th British edition. The rally takes place on the gravel roads around Cardiff, but at a different time of year from usual. This means that instead of the normal heavy rainfall, uneven roads, slippery land, mud and insidious special stages during the Rally GB, this year we may enjoy a dry rally in milder weather conditions. Pirelli will use soft compound Scorpion tyres as part of the key elements in the race to final victory.

The materials chosen by Scorpion for development and use in the World Rally are absolutely innovative in terms of resistance, with ‘run flat’ technological solutions that not only reduce the risk of puncture to a minimum, but also allow for special stage completion without excessive delays and without damaging the car’s mechanics and bodywork. The strengthened sidewalls resist cuts and abrasions, whilst the deeper grooves guarantee greater tyre endurance, and the angle of the oblique grooves increases the progressivity during cornering.

The Pirelli Scorpion looks set to be decisive in the fight for WRC world champion title, which currently sees Hirvonen (Ford) and Loeb (Citroen) in lead position, just one point apart, after eleven rallies disputed thus far. The Manufacturers and World Production title have, instead, already been assigned respectively to Citroen, one race ahead of time at the Spanish Rally, and to Armindo Araujo, who raced on board a Ralliart Italy team Mitsubishi Lancer. The Rally GB will also be the last race of the 2009 Pirelli Star Driver programme.

Mario Isola, Pirelli Rally Manager, said: “I have every confidence in the handling, performance and wear level of Scorpion ‘Soft’ tyres, although, very probably, we will be racing in very different conditions to those of past years. If it is true that the Welsh roads are rather abrasive, and the temperatures forecast significantly higher than those of previous editions, it is also true that the Pirelli Scorpion ‘Soft’ have been tested both by our engineers and by the teams, in both summer and severe conditions, always showing excellent resistance to wear and high performance levels”.

A fourth consecutive one-two finish for Citroen in Spain has also guaranteed the French company its fifth manufacturers’ title, and the second gained on Pirelli tyres.

Two compounds of Pirelli P Zero asphalt tyre were available to teams in Catalunya: the hard compound and the soft compound. With ground temperatures peaking at 33 degrees Centigrade, all the factory crews used the hard compound rubber for the entirety of the rally, despite some overnight rain on Thursday.

Rally Catalunya is the closest that the World Rally Championship comes to circuit racing all year, with smooth asphalt and sweeping bends. In order to take the quickest line possible through corners, the drivers cut them – dragging plenty of sharp stones and loose gravel onto the racing line. Despite this hazard, none of the drivers suffered any problems with punctures. With the Catalunya route entirely unchanged from last year, the Spanish stages were familiar territory for Pirelli, which has an exclusive three-year deal to supply the World Rally Championship with tyres up to the end of the 2010 season.

Citroen driver Dani Sordo claimed an early lead on his home event, but was definitively overhauled by his team-mate Loeb at the end of the second day. The leading duo were frequently separated by just tenths of a second, with Hirvonen claiming third. Although the Finn admitted that he had no answer to the pace of the Citroens, the Pirelli-equipped Ford team was pleased to note that the gap to their French rivals had reduced compared to last year.

After claiming his 53rd career victory, Loeb said: “I’m delighted that Citroen has taken its fifth manufacturers’ championship and its second with Pirelli: this is the result of great team work not only over this weekend but over the course of the year. Our win here has also improved our situation in the drivers’ championship: it will be winner takes all on the Rally Great Britain in three weeks’ time, so we can all look forward to a great battle.”

With Great Britain being one of Pirelli’s most successful events, both title rivals can anticipate a thrilling fight to the finish on the muddy stages of Wales.

The Rally Catalunya was also the penultimate round of the Pirelli Star Driver scheme, a programme run by the Italian manufacturer in collaboration with world motor sport’s governing body, the FIA. The scheme aims to give five young drivers from different FIA regions the chance to drive on six rounds of the World Rally Championship in identical Group N cars.

Finnish driver Jarkko Nikara was quickest of the Pirelli Star drivers in Spain, finishing fourth in class. Hungary’s Gyorgy Ashenbrenner won the N4 class on Pirelli tyres, while Dutch driver Han Weijs claimed the Junior World Rally Championship category, also on Pirelli rubber.

Pirelli’s Rally Manager Mario Isola concluded: “We have been very pleased with the way that the event has gone for Pirelli. The P Zero has worked really well. The warm weather conditions made the hard compound the right choice for the whole rally. But, what was good news for us was that when we did have some damp conditions – after the overnight rain on Thursday night and Friday morning – the hard tyre still performed really well. The P Zero clearly works well in a very wide window. This victory for Sebastien Loeb makes for a very exciting final event in Wales – and, of course, we have to say congratulations to the whole Citroen team on winning the manufacturers’ championship.”

Milan, 20 September 2009 – Sixteen young drivers, sixteen super-cars fitted with Pirelli tyres, asphalt roads and dusty dirt tracks, enthusiastic spectators and masses of adrenalin. These were the ingredients for the last race in Pirelli Star Driver’s Euro-American selection, the programme promoted by Pirelli and the FIA to identify and support the new generation of world rally drivers.

The stars of the shoot-out, held in Freistadt (Austria) on 18 and 19 September, were the two winners: the Sammarinese Alex Raschi, (22) and the Estonian Ott Tanak (21).

The two drivers joined the New Zealander Hayden Paddon, who dominated the selection in the Asia-Pacific area, and the Kenyan Peter Horsey, the African champion. One final driver still has to be chosen to complete the quintet of promising youngsters who will race in a number of WRC rallies next year alongside the “old” champions. This will be the Middle East’s promising youngster and the shoot-out will take place at the Dubai Rally, this coming 3-5 December.

In the Austrian competition, Alex Raschi showed excellent driving style and strong competitive abilities. The driver from San Marino is currently leader of the R3 class in the Italian Rally championship; Ott Tanak is known as one of the most promising drivers in global rallying, the undisputed heir of his fellow countryman and driver Markko Martin. Thanks to the qualities they demonstrated, both drivers will take part in six World Rally Championship races next year, in a Mitsubishi Evo X entered by Ralliart Italy.

The selection featured 14 European and 2 American drivers, who competed in driving tests on asphalt and dirt roads, as well as personal presentation and physical fitness tests, under the watchful eyes of a qualified jury of rally world experts, made up of Paul Hembery (Pirelli Motorsport Director), Timo Joukhi (manager and talent scout), Joao Passos (organizer), Anthony Peacock (rally journalist), Petter Solberg and Markku Alen.

Milan, 16 September 2009 – At the starting blocks for the decisive date in the European selection of the Pirelli Star Driver, the programme organized by Pirelli, in collaboration with the FIA, to promote new Rally drivers. On 18 and 19 September near Freistadt, in Austria, in fact, the European shoot-out of the Pirelli Star Driver 2010 programme will be held, leading to the selection of the young drivers who will have the opportunity next year to take part in six Rally World Championship races.

During the season, 14 drivers were selected for the two-day event in Freistadt, where they will undergo driving tests on asphalt and gravel roads, personal presentation and physical fitness. They will be assessed by a qualified jury of rally world experts, made up of Paul Hembery (Pirelli Motorsport Director), Timo Joukhi (manager and talent scout), Joao Passos (organizer), Anthony Peacock (rally journalist), Petter Solberg and Markku Alen.

After a tough selection, only two drivers will be proclaimed winners. Together with the New Zealander Hayden Paddon, winner of the selection of the Asia-Pacific area, and the winners of the Africa and Middle East area, who have not been chosen yet, the two Freistadt champions will make up the group of five young Pirelli Star Drivers who will get their chance in the spotlight during the 2010 World Championship.

The drivers chosen for the Freistadt finals are: Valentin Porcisteanu (Romania), 26, Vytautas Svedas (Lithuania), 26, Alex Raschi, (San Marino), 22, Jan Cerny (Czech Rep.), 19, Victor Henriksson (Sweden), 21, Andrea Torlasco (Italy), 25, Marko Jeram (Slovenia), 26, Anders Kjaer (Norway), 23, Brian Lavio (Switzerland), 25, Maris Neiksans (Latvia), 26, Ott Tanak (Estonia), 21, Todor Slavov (Bulgaria), 25, Timo van der Marel (Netherlands), 20, Daniel Wollinger (Austria), 22, Juan Manuel Marchetto (Argentina), 24 and Josè Andres Montalto (Costa Rica), 19.