Bahrain,
13
December
2019
|
12:00 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

FIA World Endurance Championship appoints Goodyear as LMP2 Official Tyre Supplier

  • Latest generation Goodyear Eagle SuperSport race tyres to be supplied to WEC and ELMS teams

  • Contract begins at the start of the 2020/2021 WEC season, following Goodyear’s 24 Hours of Le Mans comeback

  • Goodyear has been chosen as the official tyre supplier to the LMP2 category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

A multi-season contract between the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the FIA World Endurance Championship and Goodyear was agreed following the ACO’s decision to appoint a single tyre supplier for this highly competitive Le Mans Prototype class. This reinforces the relationship between the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the leading World and European endurance championships and one of the most successful tyre companies in the history of motorsport.

This summer, Goodyear announced their return to European and International sportscar racing by supplying tyres to selected partners in the LMP2 class of WEC. An impressive comeback victory with the JOTA team was claimed at the third round of the championship, the 4 hours of Shanghai, last month. The new contract, to supply all the WEC teams in the LMP2 class, begins with the 8-round 2020/2021 season which starts at Silverstone next September, goes on to race on four continents around the world, and has its climax at the 24 hours of Le Mans in June 2021, a race which Goodyear-equipped cars have won outright on 14 occasions.

The LMP2 official tyre partnership with ELMS, the world’s leading continental endurance racing series, will then begin in April 2021. In ELMS, the LMP2 category is the top tier of a multiclass championship that races at six of Europe’s top circuits. The partnership means that all LMP2 entrants in the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, including cars from outside of WEC and ELMS, will benefit from the latest developments in Goodyear Racing tyres. In addition, Goodyear will also increase its brand visibility on and off track to support its launch of the latest range of Eagle F1 SuperSport tyres, featuring motorsport-derived technology. 

Mike Rytokoski, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer EMEA at Goodyear

“Goodyear has a long and remarkable history in motorsport. In addition to our unbeaten record in Formula One with 368 Grand Prix wins, we have 14 overall wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This partnership allows us to showcase our technology, durability and performance in the most famous endurance race in the world. We are proud to have been chosen for this challenge.”

Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l’Ouest

“Goodyear’s heritage at Le Mans includes some of the most iconic victories from the 1960s to the 1990s. We are delighted that such a well-known, worldwide brand, built on a winning pedigree, has chosen the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the WEC and ELMS to prove their technology in the most demanding of racing environments. Their commitment to the future of endurance racing is inspiring and echoes the ethos of the ACO and all our endurance racing championships.”

Gerard Neveu, CEO, FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series

“Since announcing its comeback this year, Goodyear’s commitment to top level performance has been very impressive. To win a World Championship’s LMP2 class at only the third attempt shows the investment, technology and dedication of the Goodyear team. We are proud to have Goodyear as a premium partner in WEC and ELMS, and our LMP2 teams will benefit from high level professional support to ensure the continuing close competition in the category.”

About Goodyear

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.