Goodyear unveils retro branding at Donington BTCC to celebrate its 125-year history
The celebration of Goodyear’s rich history in motorsport and transportation will feature the appearance of historic branding at the British Touring Car Championship this weekend.
The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) heads to Donington Park for its eighth weekend of the season on August 26-27. The historic circuit, which first hosted a motorsport event in 1931, is a fitting venue to host one of several Goodyear 125th anniversary celebrations across the world.
At Donington, Goodyear is set to highlight its 125th anniversary with a very special rebranding at the historic British circuit, bringing back the first iteration of its Wingfoot logo. The Wingfoot has since become the inspiration for Goodyear’s Wingfoot Award, given to drivers who demonstrate peerless performance and consistency across a BTCC weekend.
Since The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898, it has played an intrinsic role in the history of motorsport, with the most number of Formula 1 victories, Le Mans wins1, and the longest-standing partner and sponsor in NASCAR history. In BTCC, Goodyear has been the sole tyre supplier since the 2020 season and, before that, its Dunlop brand exclusively supplied the championship between 2003 and 2019. Both brands have histories in the championship going back to its inception in 1958.
This year also marks the thirtieth anniversary of arguably Donington’s most famous race. In 1993, Ayrton Senna dominated the European Grand Prix in conditions that varied from sunshine to torrential rain. On that memorable day Senna crossed the line, gripped by Goodyear tyres, having lapped every driver up to second place. Only Damon Hill finished on the lead lap, but some 1m23s behind. It was one Senna’s greatest drives, and one of the most dominant of Goodyear’s 368 Formula 1 Grand Prix victories.
Goodyear Wingfoot a “symbol of performance”
The modern Goodyear branding that adorns the BTCC tyre sidewall and trackside decoration will, for the Donington weekend, be replaced by Goodyear’s first Wingfoot logo, originally designed in 1898.
In April, Goodyear underwent similar retro rebranding for NASCAR’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. In Europe, it paid homage to the nostalgic branding during NLS5 at the Nürburgring and the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Monza.
The Wingfoot icon can be traced back to the ancient era of Greek mythology. Mercury was the messenger of the gods, whose image inspired Goodyear’s co-founder Frank Seiberling, who suggested it would be a fitting company emblem.
“We’re excited to see Goodyear look a bit different this weekend,” says Michael Butler, Goodyear BTCC Event Leader. “Changes to the sidewall and trackside branding will bring a strong flavour of Goodyear’s heritage to the circuit. We’re immensely proud of our legacy and the Wingfoot has always been a symbol of performance in motorsport, which reflects Goodyear’s time spent at the very top of the sport. When it comes to BTCC, we are proud to have been part of the championship’s long history.”
Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, added: “We are delighted that Goodyear has selected the BTCC race weekend at Donington Park to activate its 125th anniversary in the UK. The relationship between the BTCC and Goodyear Group – both on-track and off-track – is stronger than ever and is now in its third decade, making it one of the most enduring collaborations in motorsport history.”
(1) Including Goodyear brands Dunlop and Avon.
Read Goodyear's 125th Anniversary press kit
Goodyear 125th anniversary celebratory docuseries
Watch Goodyear: 125 Years In Motion - On The Right Track: Brands, Icons & Racing.
Goodyear has been a renowned name in the industry since its inception 125 years ago. From Charles Goodyear’s discovery of vulcanization of rubber to the Wingfoot logo, Goodyear has achieved several milestones. Learn about the history of Goodyear and its iconic brands, icons, and racing. Find out how Henry Ford’s request for Goodyear tyres to race ignited the company’s entry into motorsports, and learn how Goodyear’s involvement in racing has not only been a proving ground for existing tyres, but has also provided a unique point of difference for the brand. Get to know Goodyear’s extended family of brands, such as Kelly, Dunlop, Fulda, Debica and Sava, and hear about the iconic images associated with Goodyear, like the Wingfoot Express, Clock Tower, and the famous Goodyear Blimp.
About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 74,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.