Goodyear Racing Notes – BTCC Donington Park GP

This weekend, Goodyear makes its second visit of the year to Donington Park for rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. This time, drivers will be taking on Donington’s Grand Prix circuit layout, which is longer with additional challenges compared to the National layout that drivers faced for the opening rounds in April.

Teams will be supplied with three sets of ‘standard’ Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium compound tyres and one set of ‘option’ Goodyear Racing Eagle Hard compound tyres at Donington.

Regulations also permit teams to deploy two sets of carryover tyres, including the Goodyear Racing Eagle Soft compound, during free practice and the official qualifying session. The free choice of tyre compound applies solely to these sessions; teams must use the ‘standard’ Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium compound in the Qualifying Race.

As well as the slick tyres used in dry conditions, teams have access to Goodyear Racing Eagle Wet tyres, designed to disperse surface water and provide grip in wet conditions.

Donington Park’s Craner Curves are among the fastest sections on the calendar, a sweeping downhill sequence that loads the tyres with sustained lateral forces. This is contrasted by the three heavy braking zones of the Melbourne and Goddards hairpins, where braking stability and traction take priority. The result is that tyres have to deliver across two very different demands within a single lap.

“Donington Park’s GP layout asks a lot of tyres, combining the high-load, high-speed characteristics of the Craner Curves with the more technical section around the Melbourne hairpin,” explains Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC event leader. “What makes this weekend particularly interesting from a strategic perspective is the free choice of carryover compounds in official qualifying. Teams can select any compound they've accumulated from previous events and deploy these strategically in the two 15-minute qualifying groups for the first time this season. These choices promise to add spice to the qualifying session.”

Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres are also in action this weekend in Belgium for the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and across the Atlantic in the NASCAR races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the NHRA event at Brainerd International Raceway.

Fast Facts
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship
Race: Rounds 19, 20, and 21
Track: Donington Park GP (2.49 miles: 5 left turns, 7 right turns)
Location: Leicestershire, England
Date/Time: Sunday, August 23, 11:45 BST (R1) / 14:45 BST (R2) / 17:30 BST (R3)
TV/Radio: ITV4, BTCC YouTube channel, Racer Network (US)

Tyre: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tyre Specification: Eagle Medium (standard) / Eagle Hard (option)
Previous usage this season: Eagle Soft (Donington Park, Brands Hatch Indy, Snetterton, Oulton Park, Knockill); Eagle Medium (Donington Park, Brands Hatch Indy, Snetterton, Thruxton qualifying, Knockhill); Eagle Hard (Oulton Park, Thruxton)
Tyre Measurements: (width mm / diameter mm / rim size in): 265/660R18 (front and rear)
Total Dry Weather Tyres: 24 (12 Eagle Soft / 4 Eagle Hard / 8 carryover)
Total Wet Weather Tyres: No limit