Silverstone,
01
September
2019
|
09:51 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

Proton Porsche and Dunlop take a European Le Mans Series win

  • Proton Competition Porsche overcame changeable conditions to take victory 
  • Dunlop’s intermediate and wet spec tyres provided grip and stability

  • G-Drive continues to lead the LMP2 team standings

It was an intense Porsche v Ferrari battle for honours as Proton Competition overcame the challenge of longtime LMGTE race leader no.83 Kessel Racing to take victory at the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Silverstone. 

Racing the Porsche 911 RSR, Proton’s new driver line-up of Thomas Preining, Gianluca Giraudi and Ricardo Sanchez took a debut success when Preining passed Rahel Frey’s Ferrari in the latter stages to secure victory and collect 25 crucial points. Frey, partnered by Michelle Gatting and Manuela Gostner took their second runner-up position of the season.

The hotly contested LMGTE class saw both Kessel Racing Ferraris challenge for class victory throughout the competitive 4-hour race. A series of safety cars and a clever tyre strategy put Proton Competition back within touching distance of the leading Ferrari before the crucial lead overtake was made with only an hour left in the race.

Dunlop’s tyre adaptability 

In a race that warranted the use of all the tyre compounds, Dunlop’s wet, intermediate tyre and A and C dry spec tyres showed durability and consistency across all conditions in both LMP2 and LMGTE.

David Meenan, Dunlop Senior Track Support Engineer, describes Dunlop’s adaptability: “In changeable conditions, the Dunlop intermediate and wet spec tyres provided the teams with the confidence and high levels of grip on a very tricky and slippery Silverstone circuit.” 

On a drying track, the Dunlop teams were able to utilise the incredibly durable intermediate tyre which can still provide grip on an almost bone dry track. As the majority of the race was dry, teams decided the mix the A and C spec tyre, with some teams choosing to mix the tyre specifications front and rear depending on car setup and driver preference.”

G-Drive scores a podium finish

G-Drive Racing finished in second place in the LMP2 class in the fourth round of the 2019 European Le Mans Series and maintain their position at the top of the LMP2 teams’ standings.

Starting the race on dry tyres, G-Drive saw an opportunity to benefit from Dunlop’s durable wet and intermediate tyres as the rain began to fall. Designed to cope with light rain and a drying track the intermediate tyre allowed drivers Roman Rusinov, former F1-driver Jean-Eric Vergne and Job Van Uitert to maximise the potential of the car in damp and drying conditions.

G-Drive now leads the LMP2 team standings by nine points with two races left. Having already been on the podium three times from four races, including two wins, G-Drive look to be able to compete at the sharp end of the grid at all circuit layouts. 

The next European Le Mans Series race takes place at Spa-Francorchamps on the 22nd of September.

About Dunlop

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.