Ingram narrowly beat rival Dan Cammish to the award by just eight points, after the NAPA Racing UK driver secured second place in today’s qualifying. The session also saw Daryl DeLeon (West Surrey Racing) take his second consecutive pole position to duly claim the round’s Goodyear Wingfoot Award trophy.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award recognises drivers for their performance in qualifying sessions throughout the BTCC season. Drivers receive a trophy at each round, in addition to competing for the season-long trophy. Points are awarded based on qualifying position, with the polesitter earning 20 points, second place 17, third 15, down to 1 point for 15th.

Tom Ingram has led the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings since taking pole position at Oulton Park in June, with his consistency in qualifying further underlined by another pole position at Croft, and three additional front-row starts at Snetterton, Thruxton and Donington Park GP. A perennial contender in recent years, having finished inside the top three of the standings every season since 2022, Ingram’s ability to extract the maximum from his Hyundai in qualifying was finally rewarded with the coveted season-long trophy for the first time.

Ingram’s superb campaign has not only delivered him the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, but sees him placed atop the drivers’ championship standings too. The title fight is set to be decided during tomorrow’s races, with the Hyundai driver leading NAPA Racing UK rival Ash Sutton by 33 points.

Speaking after winning the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, Ingram said: “It’s an important trophy to win. It’s the consistency of qualifying all year [that wins it]. It was a great job by the team and a really fast qualifying session. It’s easy to overlook [the award], but it’s an important one for the season. Our Saturday performances have become incredibly important over the last few years, so this trophy is definitely a good one to get.”

Mathias Kipp, Director Goodyear Racing EMEA, added: “Tom has shown tremendous qualifying pace throughout the season. With pole positions at Oulton Park and Croft, and consistently being at the sharp end of the grid, he’s proven himself to be one of the strongest qualifiers in the championship. This award is well-deserved and highlights the link between qualifying performance and championship contention.”

Goodyear has been the exclusive tyre supplier to the championship since 2020, providing all BTCC teams with its Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyres and a dedicated on-site support team to help drivers extract maximum performance across the weekend.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award also exists in several other top series: the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series, where drivers are rewarded based on a ‘driver of the day’ fan voting format that puts supporters at the heart of the action.

Goodyear returns as the Official Tyre Supplier for the 2026 British Touring Car Championship, kicking off the 30-round season at Donington Park on 18-19 April.
 

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

Brands Hatch’s full GP layout offers a fittingly dramatic backdrop to the final three races of the season, as drivers return to the Kent circuit after racing its shorter Indy layout in May. Tom Ingram (Team VERTU) heads into the final event with a 33-point lead over NAPA Racing UK championship rival Ash Sutton, so an exciting battle is promised across Sunday’s three races.

Goodyear will supply each driver with one set of its white-decalled soft compound tyres and two sets of the yellow-decalled medium compound this weekend, alongside three sets of carryover tyres from any previous event. This means teams will be free to choose the tyres of their preferred compound for qualifying, providing a strategic opportunity to optimise their performance across the weekend.

Brands Hatch GP is one of the fastest and most demanding venues on the BTCC calendar. The high-speed stretch from Hawthorn Bend through to Clearways puts enormous lateral loads through the tyres, while the circuit’s elevation changes and mix of slow and fast corners make up a finely balanced trade-off between traction and outright grip. This challenge is amplified by October’s notoriously unpredictable weather, which can change track conditions within a single lap.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains: “Brands Hatch GP is a fitting stage for the BTCC finale, and this weekend’s races will be a test of strategy and execution. Our tyre allocation means teams will need to make critical decisions about which compound to use in which session; some drivers have saved particular  carryover compounds for this event, so tyre strategy could very well decide the championship outcome. Goodyear’s role is to provide consistency and performance, and we’re proud that tyre strategy has been instrumental in keeping the title race wide open until the very last round.”

Speaking to Goodyear at the start of the season, local driver Tom Chilton (Team VERTU) highlighted the unique character of the circuit: “Brands Hatch is my local circuit. I love both layouts, but on the GP circuit the high-speed Hawthorn corner is my favourite. Because it’s such a fast track, we run a bit more front camber to cope with the load through the tyres. It’s a different setup philosophy to the Indy circuit, and you really need to get it right to extract maximum tyre performance.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award championship still open at the season close

With only one qualifying session to go, the season-long Goodyear Wingfoot Award, which drivers have been accumulating points towards all season, is also still undecided. Tom Ingram and Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) are still able to clinch the trophy on Saturday.

The championship is still open also due to the two championship contenders struggling with qualifying at the previous event at Silverstone, with Ingram only bringing home one point while Dan Cammish didn’t gain any. Ingram leads Cammish by 16 points in the season-long award standings, and with 20 points on offer for pole, either driver could bring home the 2025 trophy.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards qualifying performances, with drivers competing for a trophy at each round and accumulating points towards winning the  coveted overall trophy at the season’s end.

Last time out at Silverstone, and amidst unpredictable wet-dry conditions, Daryl DeLeon of West Surrey Racing managed to change tyres just at the perfect time to claim pole position and duly take the ninth Goodyear Wingfoot Award trophy of the season.   

Track action at Brands Hatch GP begins on Saturday 4 October with qualifying, before Sunday’s three races bring the 2025 BTCC season to a conclusion on 5 October.
 

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

Drivers will receive one set of Goodyear's white-stickered soft compound tyres and two sets of the yellow-stickered medium compound tyres for the weekend races. Additionally, teams can deploy up to three sets of carryover tyres from previous events, with freedom of compound choice in qualifying.

Silverstone's compact national configuration creates a unique technical challenge, featuring predominantly right-hand corners with just one left-hander. This layout demands specialist setup approaches that maximise tyre performance through the circuit's distinctive characteristics.

Michael Butler, Goodyear's BTCC Event Leader, explains the weekend's strategic elements: "Silverstone presents one of our most fascinating technical challenges of the season. The circuit's right-hand bias means teams must optimise their Goodyear tyres for sustained lateral loading, particularly through the rapid section from Woodcote, through Copse, Maggotts and onto the Wellington Straight. The short lap time intensifies everything, so race strategies become even more critical.

"The carryover tyre freedom adds another compelling strategic dimension. Teams can select from their accumulated compound inventory and deploy these tactically in qualifying. With Silverstone notorious for producing some of the closest racing of the season, every marginal gain from tyre strategy could prove decisive."

Talking to Goodyear at the start of the season, Árón Taylor-Smith (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK) explained Silverstone’s unique setup philosophy: "Silverstone is a really odd one. You only set the car up to turn right because there's only one left hander. You'll have loads of negative camber on the outside left for mid-corner grip, but the inside right will be stood upright for traction and braking. The setup is really different compared to any other track."

The intensity of racing at Silverstone amplifies the importance of tyre performance. Taylor-Smith described the racing dynamic: "To drive, I describe it as frantic because in a race, you're never more than a car length ahead or behind. You're always nose to tail because the simplicity of the track makes the racecraft that little bit more exciting. The racecraft is what makes or breaks you, and makes you win or lose."

Tom Chilton wins Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Donington GP

Tom Chilton (Team VERTU) managed to snatch pole last time out at Donington Park from his teammate Tom Ingram, who is currently leading the season-long Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings, and will look to strategically choose his tyres in Silverstone to extend his lead.

Being the penultimate round of the season, the battle for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award is even more fierce than in previous rounds, and the strategy around the free choice of carryover tyres in qualifying will make all the difference.

Tom Ingram will want to use his tyres strategically as he has the opportunity to bring the season-long Goodyear Wingfoot Award home at Silverstone. The Hyundai i30 star has led the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings since taking pole position at Oulton Park in June, and has maintained momentum through the season, not qualifying any lower than fourth position at any event so far this year. He leads the standings by 14 points from Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) heading into the Silverstone weekend.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers accumulate points based on their qualifying results throughout the season, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.

Track action at Silverstone kicks off on Saturday 20th September, ahead of the three races on Sunday 21st.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

Drivers will receive two sets of Goodyear's yellow-stickered medium compound tyres and one set of the red-stickered hard compound tyres for the weekend. These will be the choices for the races but a significant change is that carryover tyres from previous rounds, which include the white-stickered soft compound tyres, can be used in qualifying for the first time. 

The extended GP layout requires drivers to optimise their setups to handle the circuit's varied demands, making tyre strategy even more critical across the three races.

Michael Butler, Goodyear's BTCC Event Leader, previews the weekend: "Donington's GP configuration presents one of the season's most comprehensive challenges for our tyres. The extended layout features three significant heavy braking zones, including the Melbourne and Goddards Hairpins and the technical Fogarty Esses section, drivers will rely on the braking stability and high traction level of their chosen Goodyear tyres. 

“What makes this weekend particularly interesting from a strategic perspective is the free choice of carryover compounds. Teams can select any compound they've accumulated from previous events and deploy these strategically across practice and qualifying. These choices promise to add spice to the qualifying session.”

Rainford maintains momentum following Wingfoot Award success

Charles Rainford claimed his first Goodyear Wingfoot Award during the previous round at Knockhill. The 27-year-old’s pole position demonstrated the confidence to attack the kerbs and precision needed to extract maximum performance from Goodyear's soft compound tyres during qualifying.

Last year's race three winner at Donington GP, Dan Cammish, aims to close the seven point gap with Goodyear Wingfoot Award leader Tom Ingram. With free choice of carryover compounds available this weekend, he will be looking to challenge for pole position and the weekend's Wingfoot Award.

Cammish praised the balance achievable across all three compounds: "You actually get a very good balance across all three compounds. You don't have to change the car drastically, sometimes not much at all, from the soft to the hard. The balance remains relatively similar, it's just the grip level that goes up, how hard you can lean on the tyre. In the case of a soft, you can really almost overstep the mark and let the tyre sort it out for you. You can really attack and carry speed, hit the throttle hard and early, and just let the tyre grip bail you out. With the hard, you've got to be more respectful of its limits and drive to its strengths."

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers accumulate points based on their qualifying results throughout the season, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

The spectacular Fife venue is known for its fast, flowing characteristics and unique series of twists, drops and climbs that test both drivers and tyre performance to the limit. 

Drivers will have three sets of Goodyear's white-walled soft compound tyres and one set of the yellow-walled medium compound allocated for the weekend. Drivers can also utilise up to two sets of carryover tyres from previous events, though the medium can only be deployed during Friday's practice sessions.

Michael Butler, Goodyear's BTCC Event Leader, explains: "Knockhill is like no other circuit we visit. It’s a very acrobatic circuit for drivers, characterised by its combination of high-speed kerb usage, dramatic elevation changes and the demanding section between Duffus Dip and the Chicane. To extract maximum performance, drivers must commit fully to attacking the kerbs throughout the lap, which can be a significant stress test on tyres. In particular, getting a perfect exit out of Taylor’s Hairpin and up the uphill traction zone towards the start/finish line can make or break lap times."

Several drivers up and down the grid place Knockhill amongst their favourite circuits. Reigning champion Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing) has won four races at Knockhill in the last three seasons, and says the Fife track is the one he “looks forward to most” every season.

Adam Morgan (Team VERTU), a three-time podium sitter at Knockhill, echoes Hill’s sentiments about the excitement it brings, telling Goodyear: "I look forward to Knockhill every year. It's just one of those tracks where you can really attack kerbs and corners. You're up in the air, up on one wheel, or sometimes, no wheels at all. You just have to go for maximum attack every time you go out there to wring the lap out of it."

Ingram extends Goodyear Wingfoot Award lead following Croft success

Tom Ingram of Team VERTU extended his lead in the season-long Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings at Croft, duly claiming pole position and further establishing himself as one of the championship's top qualifiers. The Hyundai i30 star now leads the standings by four points over Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK), and will be eager to maintain that qualifying momentum at a circuit he describes with particular fondness.

"I do have a little bit of a soft spot for Knockhill,” Ingram told Goodyear at the start of the season. “The circuit is like none other that we go to, so it's always very exciting. We're always dictated by the close nature of the circuit, which means you try to look for an advantage any way you can. It always comes down to fine margins, and it always seems to come down to qualifying. Qualifying is the thing that always makes or breaks your weekend at Knockhill."

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers accumulate points based on their qualifying results throughout the season, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.

Track action at Knockhill kicks off on Saturday 16th August, ahead of the three races on Sunday 17th.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

Goodyear will supply three sets of its white-walled soft compound tyres and one set of the red-walled hard compound for drivers this weekend. Each driver may also choose to use up to two sets of carryover tyres from previous events, but the medium compound, which is expected to be the more popular carryover choice for this event, is only allowed to be used during free practice sessions.

The 2.1-mile Croft track is distinctive for its fast, flowing opening sector that contrasts a slower and technical final sector. It is characterised by its punishing Hairpin that demands maximum traction for the run onto the start-finish straight. The circuit's bumpy nature and the importance of using the kerbs, particularly through the opening Clervaux, Hawthorn Bend and Chicane segment, means drivers cannot afford to go off line if they want to maintain competitive lap times.

Michael Butler, Goodyear's BTCC Event Leader, explains: "Croft is a tough and twisty circuit that really tests the limits of both driver and tyre performance. It requires a car setup that focuses on stability in high-speed corners such as the Jim Clark Esses. Compliance is crucial, especially when using the kerbs in the first corners to carry momentum. The final section through the Complex and into the Hairpin is much more technical, so traction becomes absolutely key, particularly out of the Hairpin and onto the start-finish straight. That, paired with the circuit's bumpy characteristics, means we always get exciting racing at Croft. We’re in for a true test of driver skill and bravery all weekend."

The circuit's tough reputation is well-established among the drivers, too. Talking to Goodyear at the start of the season, Árón Taylor-Smith (Toyota Gazoo Racing UK) singled out the circuit’s famously tight Hairpin as the corner that “puts the most focus on traction” across the entire calendar.

Leeds-born Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK), a race winner at Croft, relishes competing at his home venue but also acknowledges its challenges: “The layout is fast and flowing, yet also really technical in the final section. You've got to be brave in places, but precise too. That balance makes it a real driver’s circuit, and it’s one I always look forward to.

“Historically, Croft has always been extremely tough on tyres. It’s always a balancing act. You can push tyres hard, say in qualifying, but if you try to do that every lap, you'll have nothing left by the end. Our races are relatively short, but you still need to manage your tyres well to maintain pace across the stint.”

Tom Ingram claims Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Oulton Park

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award found its latest recipient at Oulton Park as Tom Ingram claimed the trophy for the first time this season at the Cheshire track in June. 

The Team VERTU star will be looking to carry that qualifying momentum further into the demanding Croft weekend, where his championship-winning expertise could be significant in his bid for the season-long Goodyear Wingfoot Award. Heading into Croft, he leads the standings by a single point as a result of his superb qualifying consistency this season, having been in fourth place or lower on the grid at every event so far this year.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award has seen four different drivers take the trophy so far this season, so Ingram is to face stiff competition from others who have their eyes on the prize. The consistent pace required to secure pole position among such a competitive field becomes ever more critical as the season progresses and the championship battle intensifies.

Butler adds: “At the midpoint of the season, it’s all to play for at the top of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings. We know that consistency in qualifying is crucial, as every point counts in this closely fought contest. The pressure will be on all the drivers to deliver their very best as the season moves into its second half at Croft.”

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers accumulate points based on their qualifying results throughout the year, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.

Track action at Croft gets underway on Saturday 2 August, ahead of three races on Sunday 3 August.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings:

Thruxton’s high-speed layout and extremely abrasive surface make it the only venue on the BTCC calendar where a single Goodyear compound is mandated across all track sessions. 

Each driver will receive five sets of Goodyear’s red-walled hard compound tyres for the weekend. They may also carry over one extra set of hard tyres from previous events at Brands Hatch Indy and Snetterton, where the same compound was also in use.

Goodyear’s hard compound tyre is designed specifically to cope with the extreme demands of the championship’s toughest tracks. Incorporating technologies developed to withstand the high lateral forces generated by Thruxton's high-speed, 2.36-mile configuration, the tyre is designed to endure the aggressive kerbs and heavily abrasive surface presented by the circuit.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains: “Thruxton is ultra-fast. Its abrasive surface and aggressive kerbs make it one of the toughest tracks in the world on tyres, and as such it demands the most durable compound in our range. Goodyear’s hard compound tyre provides the consistency teams need to manage wear and strategy effectively here.

“At Thruxton, our approach is guided by extensive experience and countless hours of running at the circuit. We made a deliberate decision not to offer a choice of compounds this weekend, requiring drivers to use the hard tyre for qualifying and all three races. We also enforce specific pressure and camber settings to ensure optimal performance and safety across all sessions.”

Cammish extends Goodyear Wingfoot Award lead at Snetterton

Dan Cammish continued his impressive qualifying form in this year’s BTCC campaign by securing his second pole position of the year with a superb lap at Snetterton a fortnight ago. The NAPA Racing UK driver duly claimed his second Goodyear Wingfoot Award of the season, further extending his lead in the season-long standings to 50 points.

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award recognises the fastest qualifier at each round. Drivers earn points based on their qualifying performances throughout the season, with the highest total securing the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award title.

Speaking to Goodyear, Cammish expressed his ambition to claim the Goodyear Wingfoot Award this season and offered his thoughts ahead of the upcoming race weekend at Thruxton: “I’d like to think this could be my year. I really enjoy qualifying; it’s something I’ve always been strong at. I came so close [to winning the Wingfoot Award] in 2020 and missed out by just a point or two after losing pole at a wet Croft.

“Thruxton, without question, puts the most demand on tyres of all tracks. The tarmac is incredibly coarse and abrasive; in some places, it’s no better than your local roads. It’s the fastest circuit in the country, and the high-speed kerbs add even more stress to the tyres.

“We run the hard compound exclusively at Thruxton for that reason, and Goodyear provides us with a tyre that can handle the challenge. We also set the car up specifically to protect the tyre. If you don’t, you might be quick in the early laps, but you’ll be wishing the race was over far sooner than it is. Getting that balance right is absolutely crucial.”

Cammish now holds a six-point advantage over Team VERTU’s Tom Ingram at the top of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award leaderboard, while his NAPA Racing UK teammates, Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom, are level on 30 points in joint third place.

Track action at Thruxton kicks off on Saturday 7 June, ahead of the three races on Sunday 8 June.

Goodyear has supplied tires for many of Audi’s most exciting models, including the Q6 e-tron, e-tron GT quattro and RS e-tron GT. The new collaboration as the primary tire supplier for the Audi A5 and S5 marks the beginning of the next chapter in the partnership between these two iconic brands.

Goodyear tires, including the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, Eagle F1 SuperSport and UltraGrip Performance 3, deliver fitments for Ultra High Performance, Ultra Ultra High Performance and winter driving applications, with varied focuses from low rolling resistance to excellent braking to meet the driver’s needs and preferences. These tires have ten fitments¹ that will cover the new A5 and S5 range in both saloon and Avant estate variants.

Audi and Goodyear's collaborative innovation

When developing an OE tire for a performance car, subjective driver feedback is a crucial parameter that previously could only be measured with real-world track testing. Goodyear is leading the way with the use of virtual development to get efficient and versatile feedback from test drivers who know the performance characteristics that premium performance car drivers demand. 

One of the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 fitments was developed using Goodyear’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center at its facility in Luxembourg. Opened last year, the driving simulator allows Goodyear’s R&D team to develop OE tires virtually, testing and validating tire models more quickly and by saving resources, to reach first approval from the OEM with fewer physical tire models. The Simulation Center opening in Luxembourg followed the launch of the inaugural center in Akron, Ohio – and allows Goodyear to have a global approach to tire development.

In all, the process of creating this virtually developed tire took ten months and met Goodyear’s goal of achieving first approval by Audi on its first physical iteration, which was produced after two virtual development cycles to assess handling, mileage performance and noise. According to Goodyear's calculations, developing just one physical iteration has the potential to save thousands of physical tires and thousands of kilometres of physical tire testing. 

Luca Davide Andreoni, Head of Brand Goodyear: “We are pleased that the new Audi A5 and S5 are available with our summer UHP and UUHP and winter ranges. We are particularly proud of the benefits seen by using our state-of-the-art Simulation Center in the field of virtual tire development. By reducing the development process time, we were able to meet Audi’s demands faster and by using fewer resources, making performance tire development more impactful.” 

Dr. Peter Knauer, AUDI AG, Development Chassis/Wheels: “The development work at Audi goes right down to the last detail. Each model gets its own tires. In the A5, they are geared towards efficiency and comfort, the S5 on performance.” 

Three hero products on offer 

All tire fitments developed for the A5 and S5 models are from three of Goodyear’s hero product ranges in the UHP, UUHP and winter segments.

Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 is Goodyear’s award-winning¹ globally available tire designed for summer driving on wet and dry roads. Its low rolling resistance was a key feature for Audi, helping improve efficiency and comfort without sacrificing performance.

Inspired by the racetrack, the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport shares DNA with Goodyear’s range of racing tires but is characterized by exceptional versatility and performance with balanced wet and dry performance on the road and track day capability. Stiffened tread ribs and a strengthened sidewall result in a responsive tire that allows drivers to feel feedback and enjoy exceptional performance for both road and track driving. 

For winter driving, Goodyear’s UltraGrip Performance 3 is the latest in Goodyear’s line of UltraGrip tires. Recognised as the winner of ADAC’s² latest winter tire test for its “safe and precise driving characteristics,”² it delivers enhanced handling on snow and optimised wet braking while maintaining comfort through a noise-cancelling tread pattern. 

Vehicle Tire Sizes available^* 

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 

205/50R17 97W 

225/55R17 101Y  

235/45R18 98Y

Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport 

245/40R19 98Y 

245/40R19 98Y 

245/35R20 98Y v1 

245/35R20 98Y v2

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 

215/55R17 98Y 

235/45R18 98Y 

245/40R19 98Y

_{1) Awards include Auto Bild summer tire test 2023: Auto Bild: 50 summer tires tested, dimension 225/45R18. Test car: BMW 3 Series. Issue 10/2023.} 

_{2) ADAC winter tire test 24 September 2024, dimension 215/55R17. Test car: Volkswagen T-Roc.}

At Snetterton Goodyear will supply each driver with three sets of its white-walled soft compound and one set of the more durable hard compound.

Teams will also have the option to use carryover tyres from earlier rounds, adding another layer of strategy. Like at Brands Hatch two weeks ago, drivers can choose two sets of any compound carried over from the first two events, but the medium - expected to be the more popular carryover choice for this event - can only be used during free practice sessions.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, previews the weekend: “Snetterton has a mixture of high, medium and low-speed corners that will challenge drivers and engineers to think strategically about tyre usage this weekend. The Turn 1 right-hander in particular stands out as it is extremely fast and puts a significant load through the tyres early in the lap. 

“Drivers have three sets of the soft compound and one of the hard compound allocated for the weekend, plus the option of using carryover tyres, so managing tyre allocation across practice, qualifying and the races will be vital - including deciding whether to save any of their allocated compounds for use at races later in the season.”

Jake Hill claims Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Brands Hatch Indy

Jake Hill delighted his home crowd at Brands Hatch last time out by setting a new BTCC lap record around the 1.21-mile Indy circuit, claiming pole position and duly winning the second Goodyear Wingfoot Award of the season.

In fact all six drivers in the 'Quick Six' shootout two weeks ago - each equipped with Goodyear’s soft compound - posted lap times comfortably quicker than the previous qualifying record.

Speaking after qualifying at Brands Hatch, Hill said: “This new Goodyear Wingfoot Award is lovely for taking pole. I threw the world at it, and [the car] stuck. We came here and straight away had that ‘bite’ in the tyre, everywhere. It’s lovely to have a BMW that is absolutely rocking again!”

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers accumulate points based on their qualifying results throughout the season, with the highest scorer ultimately crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner.

Butler added: “We have now entered what is the fastest era of cars in BTCC history. The cars are around 55kg lighter and more agile this year without the hybrid power systems, so the pace we’ve seen at Donington and Brands Hatch Indy proves that drivers are really able to extract the most from their tyres. Jake won the season's Goodyear Wingfoot Award in 2022, so it was great to see him back with another Goodyear Wingfoot Trophy in his hand.”

Track action at Snetterton kicks off on Saturday 24 May, ahead of the three races on Sunday 25 May.

Ash Sutton of NAPA Racing UK made the most of the new regulations to win races one and two a fortnight ago at Donington Park. Later in the day, Tom Chilton used his experience to win race three by the biggest margin of the weekend. Tom Ingram, who finished second in all three races, will aim to go one better on the Brands Hatch Indy layout, where the Team Vertu driver won twice during last year’s visit. 

The Indy circuit’s constantly turning nature is demanding on the tyres as well as the driver, with even the start-finish Brabham Straight on a bend. This track results in more load on the tyres on the left side, demanding a strategic choice from the teams on how to use the three sets of ‘standard’ soft tyres and one set of the ‘option’ hard tyres that they will be allocated. This will be the first opportunity for drivers to use the hard Goodyear compound this season.

Track resurfacing ahead of the race weekend - from the last brake marker on the Cooper Straight through to the grid slots on the Brabham Straight - will add further challenge for teams to navigate this weekend. 

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains: "Even though Brands Hatch Indy is one of the shortest laps on the calendar, it is relentless. The constantly turning layout puts significant strain on the left-hand tyres, even more now as the cars are lighter and more responsive. This weekend, Goodyear engineers will be drawing on their experience to help teams and drivers adapt quickly to the challenges posed by the resurfaced section leading onto the Brabham Straight.” 

For the first time this season, further strategy choices come in the possibility of using carryover tyres from the previous round. Drivers are free to choose two sets of either the soft or medium compounds from Donington, but the medium compound - expected to be the more popular carryover choice for this event - can only be used during free practice sessions.

Butler adds: “The carryover tyre strategy challenge begins now, as from this round, drivers may wish to choose to carry over particular compounds for use towards the end of the season. It’s a long game!”

Dan Cammish wins Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Donington

Dan Cammish of NAPA Racing UK took the opening Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Donington Park and will want to repeat his performance to stay on top of the league table.

Talking to Goodyear, Cammish shared his hopes for securing the Wingfoot Award this season: “I’d like to think this could be my year. I really enjoy qualifying; it’s something I’ve always been strong at. I came so close [to winning the Wingfoot Award] in 2020 and missed out by just a point or two after losing a pole at a wet Croft. 

“This season, turbo boost deployment will affect qualifying, but usually the top drivers in the championship are also the ones fighting for the Wingfoot Award. Hopefully I can top both this year."

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award rewards the fastest qualifying lap at each round. Drivers collect points from their qualifying results throughout the season, with the overall top scorer eventually being crowned the 2025 Goodyear Wingfoot Award winner. 

For this round, the shorter lap of the Indy circuit will provide the perfect backdrop for a competitive qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, with drivers having more chances to deliver their best laps, and timings being close to each other. 

Track action at Brands Hatch Indy kicks off on Saturday 10 May, ahead of the three races on Sunday 11 May.

The 30-round campaign will take place over ten weekends, visiting eight of the most iconic venues in British motorsport. Goodyear will once again supply its proven range of soft, medium and hard slick compounds to all teams, alongside a wet-weather tyre designed for maximum performance in all conditions. These specifications were instrumental in setting new qualifying and race lap records at all but four circuits last season.

All rounds in 2025 - with the exception of Thruxton - will feature both the ‘standard’ and a single set of the ‘option’ compound tyres, with the latter mandated for use in any one of the three races during each race weekend. A regulation change for 2025 also requires the top three finishers in Race 1 to use the hardest available tyre compound in Race 2, replacing the previous rule which applied to the top ten finishers.

The soft compound will be available as the ‘standard’ specification at Brands Hatch (Indy), Snetterton, Oulton Park, Croft and Knockhill; and the medium at Donington Park (National and GP), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP). The soft compound will be available as the ‘option’ specification at Donington (National), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP), medium at Knockhill, and hard at all other tracks.

This season also brings a fresh twist to the Goodyear Wingfoot Award. Drivers will now compete for a Wingfoot trophy at each event in addition to the season-long title. This change adds an extra layer of visibility to the award and will help to celebrate the very performances that make touring car racing at the highest level so thrilling.

The sole tyre supplier partnership between the Goodyear group and BTCC began in 2003 making this one of the most enduring partnerships in motorsport history. The sole tyre partnership was built on success in the pre-millennium open tyre competition era.

Goodyear is ready for a new BTCC era  

The 2025 season marks a new era in the BTCC as it becomes the first major UK championship to adopt 100% fossil-free sustainable fuel across the entire grid. This new fuel replaces the hybrid power systems used in the previous three seasons. As a result, the cars will become some 55 kilograms lighter and noticeably more agile.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains the impact of these changes on tyre performance: “The switch from hybrid power to sustainable fuel is a huge change in the BTCC. It’s a move towards greater environmental responsibility and brings with it a significant influence on how our tyres will behave on track. With a 55-kilogram drop in car weight, we expect a greater difference in lap times between the soft, medium and hard compounds. That gives us more confidence in using the soft compound at more circuits this season.”

Butler adds: “We’re entering what could be the fastest era of cars in BTCC history. The pace in pre-season testing has already seen lap times fall below several current qualifying records. The lighter, more agile cars are allowing drivers to really extract the most from their tyres.”

Reigning champion Jake Hill eyes back-to-back titles

Jake Hill returns to the grid in 2025 as the reigning BTCC champion, aiming to defend his crown in what is expected to be one of the most competitive seasons to date. Hill, who claimed his maiden title in a nail-biting season finale at Brands Hatch in October, is already feeling positive about the impact of the latest regulation changes on tyre performance. 

“The soft compound is my favourite tyre,” said Hill. “The BMW tends to be quite gentle on tyres, so having that extra grip from the soft compound is something we really appreciate. That said, we’ve had some very good running on the hard compound in pre-season testing this year and the car seems to be a little bit happier on it compared to last year.

“The regulation changes this season will have a massive impact on tyre behaviour. So far it has forced us to re-think how we set the car up, but it's proving to be a positive change. It should keep the racing interesting to the very end and make things even closer between the drivers,” Hill adds.

Hill also described the significance of Goodyear’s role in the championship: “Our relationship with Goodyear is extremely important. The Goodyear engineers spend a lot of time with us to help us understand why we might be damaging the tyres, or on the other hand, why we might not be pushing them enough. 

“Winning the Goodyear Wingfoot Award in 2022 was a great achievement, but I’m also here to win the ultimate crown again. I was fortunate enough to win [the championship] last year, and that’s always the main goal.”

Track action gets underway at Donington Park on Saturday 26 April with two BTCC free practice sessions and qualifying, followed by the opening three races of the season on Sunday 27 April.

2025 Goodyear tyre allocation quick facts:

• All events carry a ‘standard’ and ‘option’ tyre specification. A driver must use one complete set of ‘option’ tyres for the entirety of one race at all rounds (except Thruxton).
• Drivers will be allocated four sets of the medium compound as the ‘standard’ specification and one set of the soft compound as the ‘option’ specification at the season-opening rounds at Donington Park (National).
• Five events will carry the soft compound as the ‘Standard’ specification, four events will carry the medium as ‘Standard’ and only one (Thruxton) will carry the hard compound as ‘Standard’.
• ‘Option’ tyres may be used in any Free Practice session(s) (as well as for the entirety of one race) but are not permitted to be used in Qualifying, except at Donington Park (GP), Silverstone and Brands Hatch (GP).
• Any driver that finishes in the top three of the first race of any round must use the hardest compound tyre remaining available to them in the second race of that round.

June 3, 2025 marks the 100^th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp, and today, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced that it will celebrate the occasion throughout the year by bringing the blimp closer to its fans around the globe.

In 2025, the Goodyear Blimp will aim to fly to more than 100 cities across North America and Europe, with aerial appearances over new events, from the biggest matchups in sports to music festivals and other cultural moments, giving more fans than ever a chance to see the famous airship firsthand.

“The Goodyear Blimp is an enduring symbol of both nostalgia and innovation for fans around the world. With its century-long history and unique ability to instill a sense of wonder in those who experience it – whether from on the ground or in the air, the blimp gives Goodyear a way to connect with the public in a way no other tire company can match,” said Mark Stewart, CEO and President of Goodyear.

Goodyear Blimp fans can stay up to date on the latest celebratory activities and Goodyear Blimp news by following @GoodyearBlimp on social media and visiting GoodyearBlimp.com.

100 Years of the Goodyear Blimp

Goodyear has been experimenting with lighter than aircraft since as early as 1910. Starting with the blimp Pilgrim in 1925, Goodyear Blimps have served as a public relations vehicle to drive brand awareness for the company and delight fans in communities across the country. Today, the Goodyear Blimp remains as one of the most lasting and iconic corporate brand assets in the world.

Another chapter for Goodyear in endurance racing 

Goodyear has a storied history in endurance racing, and in recent years has been the exclusive tyre supplier to the LMP2 category in ELMS since 2021. That role expanded at the start of the 2024 season to include the LMGT3 category, following its earlier role as the exclusive supplier to the LMGTE class from the 2020 season.

For the 2025 season, Goodyear continues as the exclusive tyre supplier for the LMP2 category in both ELMS and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and for all teams competing in the LMGT3 category of ELMS and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Mathias Kipp, Head of Car Racing, Goodyear EMEA: “This sponsorship is an exciting opportunity for Goodyear to strengthen its presence in endurance racing and bring us closer to our customers and fans in the United Kingdom. We are proud to deepen our involvement with the European Le Mans Series; a highly competitive championship which carries the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans around Europe.

“For fans at the track, Goodyear will bring them even closer to the action. For us, it is another opportunity to support drivers at all levels in their endurance racing careers - from young, future stars to the most skilled endurance racers - each of whom will benefit from Goodyear’s Eagle F1 race tyres and expert trackside support.”
 

Driving in winter comes with many potential hazards on the roads. Drivers can be confronted with dense fog, heavy rain, a flurry of snow or ice on the roads. These conditions mean drivers must take extra care when driving. Experts at Goodyear, the award-winning manufacturer of all-season tyres, have provided their tips to stay safe this winter. 

Top winter driving tips:

1. Plan your route and check the forecast

It’s always important to prepare well before you set off on any journey. But it’s doubly important if there’s a chance you’re going to be confronted with hazardous winter weather. Try to plan your route using major roads which will be gritted and cleared regularly. B-roads are less likely to be gritted than A-roads, so avoid them if snow or ice is expected.   

2. Adapt your driving style

Drive smoothly to ensure no sudden movements in braking or steering, this will help the tyre tread to maintain maximum contact with the road surface. Knowing how fast to drive in snow, matching speed to driving conditions and maintaining plenty of distance between the vehicle in front, will ensure plenty of time to react to any sudden braking. If your car should get stuck in snow, use low revs and a higher gear to smoothly move away.

3. Keep all fluids topped up

Make sure your oil and windscreen wash are topped up. You should keep a bottle or flask of water in the car with you. You should also use antifreeze, which can help to protect your engine from damage. You can check your oil using the dipstick and a dry cloth. Ensure the coolant is topped up and add antifreeze as necessary. Unexpected delays could happen, so make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel in your tank or your electric vehicle is fully charged. 

4. Make your car visible

In winter we have shorter daylight hours, which causes poorer visibility, especially during rush hours. And if you add fog, frost, snow or heavy rain to dark mornings and evenings, you’ll need to take extra care to be seen easily by other road users. Start by making sure all lights are working and clear from snow or dirt. Only use your fog lights in foggy conditions otherwise you may dazzle other drivers. Also, keep your number plate clear from snow. Legally, this should always be visible.

5. Clear your windows of snow, ice & mist

Clear all your windows and mirrors of snow, ice and condensation. Only set off when you have maximum visibility out of every window. If it has snowed, you should clear the snow from the roof of your car to prevent it falling onto the windows. If your wiper blades are worn or damaged, you should replace them. 

6. Check your tyres

One of the most important winter driving tips is to make sure your tyres are in good condition. You should always look after your tyres, but this is especially important in winter. Start by looking for cracks, cuts or bulges in the tyre. Arrange to replace the tyres if you notice any of these or speak to a reputable dealer or garage. Next up, check the tread depth. Legally, your tyres should have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm. Regular checks can avoid 3 penalty points and up to £2,500 in fines, so it’s best to stay safe.

You can test this by placing a 20 pence coin into the lowest tread depth of your tyre. If you cannot see the rim of the coin, this indicates the tyre is above 3mm, which is generally regarded as a good guide. Ask a mechanic if you’re not sure.

Finally, try to check tyre pressures at least once a month to ensure they are in line with what your vehicle manufacturer recommends.

7. Use All Season or Winter Tyres (look for M+S or Snowflake tyre markings)

Winter tyres are designed to perform best at temperatures of 7°C and below as a guide. They are not a legal requirement in the UK as we do not experience extreme snow and ice (unlike in other European countries). However, if you regularly drive long distances through winter and especially if you drive in rural areas where roads are not always gritted, you should consider investing in winter tyres.

Alternatively, all season tyres provide extra reassurance for drivers not considering winter tyres. The design of the tread grooves on all season tyres help to protect against aquaplaning by moving water away from the tyre contact area. All season tyres also provide good performance all year round, meaning you won’t have to revert to summer tyres in the warmer months.

Recently the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 became the first all-season tyre ever to achieve an overall rating of “Good” in one of Europe’s leading tyre tests. (ADAC Germany). The tyre combines elements from the tread pattern, the groove arrangement and the sidewalls of Goodyear’s test-winning summer and winter tyres to ensure balanced performance in changing weather conditions, but it’s the compound where the magic happens. The tread compound for the Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 consists of up to 17 components,  for example, synthetic rubbers which provide excellent grip and wear performance. Silica and traction resins offer outstanding grip, and braking performance in rainy weather. Other components include sulphur, wax, and antioxidants, as well as sunflower oil, which increases the flexibility of the rubber when road temperatures drop.

"The Vector 4Seasons Gen-3's adaptive rubber compound ensures that the tyre remains flexible at different temperatures and offers reliable performance and outstanding mileage in a wide range of conditions. It actually represents a category of its own, connecting the best of two worlds", says Goodyear's compounding engineer Chris Kaes.

If you frequently drive to European countries during the snow season, it may be a legal requirement to fit winter tyres to comply with local laws, although all Goodyear all-season tyres come with the necessary 3-Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) markings. You can check the regulations here: Goodyear guide to driving in Europe.

8. Pack a winter survival kit

It might sound a bit much for our mild winters, but you never know how long you might be held up on the roads, so making sure you have all the right supplies in your car is essential. Here’s what you should include:

• Warm clothes and some blankets
• Snow shovels and an ice scraper
• Warning triangle and high-vis jacket
• Jump leads
• First aid kit
• Torch
• Mobile phone and charger
• Bottle or flask of water

9. EV drivers

Electric car drivers often have the luxury of being able to warm their car and de-ice the windows from the comfort of their home. But it is important to ensure the car is fully charged, as journeys may take longer than expected.

10. Look after car batteries and electrics

If your car battery is several years old, it may suffer in wintery conditions. Make sure to turn off lights, heating and wipers when not in use and before you start the car. If you don’t use your car often, prevent a flat battery by giving it a regular charge. Lastly, to help you remember the essential winter checks and winter driving tips, remember the FORCES acronym: Fuel, Oil, Rubber (tyres), Coolant, Electrics and Screen wash.

With Goodyear as the official tyre supplier to BTCC, its Wingfoot Award recognises drivers for their performance in qualifying sessions throughout the racing season. Points are given based on qualifying position, with the driver accumulating the most points over the ten qualifying rounds winning the award. The polesitter receives 20 points, second position earns 17 points, third place earns 15, with points awarded down to 1 point for the 15th qualifying position.

Turkington demonstrated remarkable qualifying pace throughout the year, qualifying on the front row of the grid at every event after the mid-season break in June. At the season finale, Turkington secured his fourth pole position of the year, showcasing impressive speed aboard his BMW 330e M Sport to secure his place at the top of the Wingfoot Award standings and take home the trophy.

Turkington first took the lead in the Wingfoot Award standings at Brands Hatch Indy in May and stayed within the top five of the standings for the remainder of the season. Retaking the lead at Donington Park GP in August, he held onto it until the season’s end, despite entering the final round with only an 11-point lead over Tom Ingram. His season-long results demonstrate the importance of consistency and reliability across race weekends for success in the award.

Goodyear has been the exclusive supplier to the championship since 2020. Before that, Dunlop, belonging to the Goodyear group, was the sole tyre supplier to the championship between 2003 and 2019. Both brands have histories in the series going back to its inception in 1958.

Goodyear equips every car on the BTCC grid with Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyres, backed by a team of expert tyre technicians on-site each race weekend to help optimise driver performance. Competing in the BTCC offers Goodyear invaluable insights for transferring technologies back to Goodyear's range of high-performance tyres for the road.

Turkington “privileged” to win the Goodyear Wingfoot Award

The West Surrey Racing-run Team BMW has been a formidable contender in the BTCC in recent years, claiming the Wingfoot Award in four of the last five seasons; three of them with Turkington at the wheel in 2020, 2021 and 2024, and with Jake Hill in 2022. Ash Sutton became the first non-BMW driver to win the accolade in 2023.

Speaking to ITV after receiving the Goodyear Wingfoot Award trophy, Turkington said: "That's my fourth pole of the year and it was important to get myself up there ahead of the main protagonists.

“I’m pretty privileged to win the Goodyear Wingfoot Award—it’s the third time I’ve won—so it’s a testament to all the hard work by everyone at Team BMW.”

Michael Butler, BTCC Event Leader, added: “Colin’s performance in qualifying this season has been incredibly consistent. His ability to extract the best out of the BMW in qualifying sessions is impressive, and securing pole position in four of the ten rounds this season speaks volumes about his pace. To win his third Goodyear Wingfoot Award here at Brands Hatch is a testament to the four-time BTCC champion’s skill. Congratulations to Colin and the entire Team BMW crew.”

Goodyear returns as the Official Tyre Supplier for the 2025 British Touring Car Championship, kicking off the 30-round season at the Donington Park National circuit on 26-27 April.

Past Goodyear Wingfoot Award winners:

Returning to the Kent circuit after racing on its shorter Indy layout in May, but moving to the twice-as-long GP circuit, the last round of the season promises exhilarating racing. Having shared the wins last time out at Silverstone, Jake Hill and Tom Ingram head to Brands Hatch tied at the top of the drivers’ championship. But, with a further four drivers also still in contention for championship glory, an exciting battle is promised across Sunday’s three races.

Three different slick Goodyear tyre compounds have allowed teams to take a wide variety of strategy options throughout the season, facilitating this year’s season-long close racing. This weekend, teams are allocated one set of soft and two sets of medium tyres for the race weekend, with the option to choose three sets of carryover tyres from previous rounds for practice and qualifying, just as they did at recent events at Donington and Silverstone.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award to be decided on Saturday

Before the 2024 BTCC champion is crowned on Sunday, attention will be on the Goodyear Wingfoot Award during Saturday’s qualifying session. Drivers have been accumulating points towards the trophy all season based on their qualifying positions, and two-time winner Colin Turkington currently leads the standings with an 11-point lead over Tom Ingram. With 20 points on offer for pole, either could bring home the 2024 trophy.

Team BMW’s Turkington won the Goodyear Wingfoot Award in 2020 and 2021, before Jake Hill took home the 2022 trophy. Last year, Ash Sutton became the first non-BMW driver to win it.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, highlights the added strategic variable posed by the free tyre allocation: “This weekend’s finale will be a test of strategy and execution. Teams have been playing a season-long game of chess in their approach to tyre allocations to best prepare for this round as having the right carryover tyres on Saturday will help secure a good grid position and points towards the Goodyear Wingfoot Award.

“With trophies on the line at a demanding circuit like Brands Hatch, each decision could make a huge difference for drivers. We’re looking forward to some close racing to round out another thrilling season.”

Ash Sutton praises Goodyear tyres while looking ahead to his “best” circuit

One driver who is particularly looking forward to this weekend’s races is defending champion Ash Sutton. The NAPA Racing UK Ford driver rates the longer Brands Hatch layout as his favourite track and he won two of the three races there 12 months ago.

“Brands Hatch GP has always been, and probably will always remain, my best circuit,” he says. “That’s not just based on the result, but the sensation of being around the back of the circuit when you are really at the limit of the car. When racing on such an intense track you are putting a massive amount of trust through whatever tyre compound you are on.”

Praising the Goodyear tyres he adds: “Whether it’s a soft, a medium, or even the hard, it’s such a thrill to be out there. But then when you have a championship on the line and you are living life on the edge, it’s really exciting.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award current top five:

Goodyear is set to inject an additional layer of strategy to the event by offering teams a selection of both soft and medium slick tyre compounds, along with the flexibility to select three sets of carryover tyres for use in free practice and qualifying. These can be carried over from any previous event, so teams will choose the tyres in the best condition to optimise performance across the race weekend.

The fast, flowing 1.6-mile National layout will take drivers through some of Silverstone’s most iconic and challenging corners, as they battle for crucial championship points in the penultimate weekend of the season. Getting a good result at Silverstone will put the drivers in good stead for the three remaining races at Brands Hatch, where the 2024 championship will be decided.

Current championship leader Jake Hill of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport has enjoyed victory at each of his last three visits to Silverstone, and will be determined to maintain his winning streak to preserve his lead at the top of the table. Hill currently leads Bristol Street Motors driver Tom Ingram in the championship standings by only nine points, so maximising points in all three races will be crucial for him to extend his advantage over Ingram.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, previews the weekend: “Silverstone has played host to some memorable touring car battles in recent years. This year, the introduction of a free choice of carryover tyres during practice and qualifying adds a new layer of excitement and strategic depth. It has forced teams to be more tactical in their tyre management throughout the season.

“Close collaboration with Goodyear’s tyre engineers will be key for teams and drivers to identify the best sessions to use their additional tyre allocations and to gain an advantage over competitors. This weekend’s action promises excitement, and every point will be crucial as the drivers battle it out as the season reaches its conclusion.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award battle intensifying

Team BMW driver Colin Turkington currently leads the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings, holding a 10-point advantage over the reigning champion, Ash Sutton. Turkington shot to the top of the standings after securing pole position at Knockhill and a strong second-place grid start at Donington Park GP.

The race for the Wingfoot Award remains fiercely competitive, with only 14 points separating the top three contenders. Three-time Silverstone polesitter Tom Ingram trails Ash Sutton by just four points, while Dan Cammish still has a chance to clinch the Wingfoot trophy, currently sitting on 92 points. With a maximum of 20 points available for securing pole position on Saturday, and a further 20 available to the Brands Hatch polesitter, the battle for the award remains as open as ever.

The Wingfoot Award recognises drivers for their performance in qualifying sessions throughout the racing season. Points are given based on qualifying position, with the driver accumulating the most points over the ten qualifying rounds winning the award. 

Goodyear Wingfoot Award current top five:

For the remainder of the season, teams will have a free choice of three sets of carryover tyres to use in free practice and qualifying. These are allocated from the previous event, so teams will select the tyres in the best condition to give them the best performance.

“It’s something teams have been considering since the beginning of the season,” explains Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader Michael Butler. “The three carryover sets means the teams will have nominated which tyres from previous events to bring here. Teams will have considered which tyres they want in the locker for the rest of the season, and will use their sets accordingly.

“As always, hybrid allocations will dictate the strategy, and we’ll see a variety of approaches to Saturday’s qualifying, and could have a big impact on the rest of the season and championship fight.”

Hill excited for ‘fun’ Donington

Team BMW driver Jake Hill has had an exceptional season, with more victories than anyone else and just three points off Tom Ingram in what could be his first BTCC title. 

Talking to Goodyear about this weekend, Hill explains that “Donington is a really tough circuit, especially the GP layout. It has many different elements, with the final sector being incredibly slow and hard on brakes. But, of course, Donington is famous for being fast and sweeping as well so it’s great fun.

“It’s always tricky when you’ve got so many tyre options,” adds the six-time race winner this season. “It increases the number of strategic options which is great for the spectacle. Of course, Donington will be tricky, traditionally with weather playing a role meaning we may not need dry tyres at all! 

“If we have a nice dry weekend it will be about selecting the strategy that best suits whatever hybrid we’ve got. With less hybrid, you might want to get the harder tyre out the way to have a better end to the [qualifying] day. Equally, you may want to do the opposite if you’ve got no hybrid you can run a soft to stay in the running.

“We lean on the Goodyear team for guidance throughout the weekend and season. We’ll have several conversations ahead of Donington to help us plan ahead. The Goodyear team is really experienced and their input is invaluable.”

Turkington rockets to the top of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award standings

Elsewhere, following his pole position at Knockhill, Hill’s Team BMW teammate Colin Turkington shot up the standings from fourth to lead with just three qualifying sessions remaining. He leads reigning Wingfoot Award champion Ash Sutton by 6 points. 

The Goodyear Wingfoot Award in BTCC classifies drivers based on their qualifying performances, with points given out based on where drivers rank on a Saturday.

Goodyear Wingfoot Award current top five:

The soft Goodyear tyre will dominate the weekend’s action, with just a single medium set to be used during one of Sunday’s races. A total of three sets of softs are available to drivers for qualifying and two of Sunday’s races. A single carryover set of the soft and medium compound is also available, but the medium can only be used in practice. 

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, previews the weekend: “Knockhill is one of the best circuits on the BTCC calendar. The fast flowing sections reward the drivers who are precise and consistent. Furthermore, the weather is never far away from throwing up a surprise. We saw last year how quickly conditions can change, so it will be important for teams to keep an eye on the weather and make the right calls alongside the driver on strategy.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award heats up

With just four qualifying sessions remaining, it’s been the two most recent BTCC champions Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton who have set the standard in qualifying so far this season. The Goodyear Wingfoot Award in BTCC classifies drivers based on their qualifying performances, with points given out based on where drivers rank on a Saturday. Despite not claiming a pole, Sutton’s consistency means he’s just one point behind Ingram in the Wingfoot Award standings. Dan Cammish and Colin Turkington still have an outside chance of raising the Wingfoot trophy at the end of the season, trailing Ingram by nine and 11 points respectively. 

“It’s great that we have a real battle to find out who’s going to be crowned Wingfoot Award winner and best qualifier for the season,” adds Butler. “This will surely add extra excitement and bragging rights to Saturday’s on-track action.”

Goodyear Wingfoot Award current top five:

Located in North Yorkshire, Croft is one of the most challenging rounds of the season with a mix of fast flowing corners, long straights and slow technical sections all ready to test driver accuracy and bravery. 

At the midpoint of the season, it’s all to play for at the top of the championship. Jake Hill leads the way in his MB Motorsport BMW, but the fight is still on in a battle that will likely conclude at the final rounds at Brands Hatch in October. The top three in the championship are currently covered by just 24 points. 

Just like at Oulton Park last time out, Goodyear has nominated the soft (white sidewall) and hard (red sidewall) tyres for this weekend. One set of yellow-branded mediums will be available for Saturday practice. Only one set of hard compound tyres will be available per driver, so the first experience of it at Croft will be in race trim if teams decide not to put laps on it during practice. 

Drivers will run the soft during qualifying and two of Sunday’s races, while the hard tyre will be used once by each driver. Those on the soft tyre during race one must use the hard tyre in race two if they finish inside the top ten. 

“Whenever we come to Croft we get incredible racing,” explains Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader. “There are several places where thrilling overtakes are possible, particularly if drivers have superior confidence in the tyres during the heavy braking zones. We’ve nominated the most extreme tyres in the Goodyear range to give drivers the most interesting strategic options, so expect that to be a key talking point on Sunday.

“We look forward to the second half of the season after a brilliant first five events. In true BTCC style, the championship is wide open.”

Nestled in the Cheshire countryside, Oulton Park remains one of the most historic and picturesque circuits in Britain. Its motorsport heritage goes back to 1953 when the original track layout was designed by the Mid-Cheshire Car Club. 

Oulton Park has been a firm fixture on the BTCC schedule since 1960, and is one of the most popular venues on the calendar for fans and spectators, particularly with its June date. 

This weekend’s tyre allocation

Goodyear has nominated the soft and hard tyre compounds for Oulton Park, denoted by white and red sidewalls respectively. One set of yellow-branded medium tyres will also be available to drivers for Saturday’s free practice sessions only. 

Drivers will run the soft during qualifying and two of Sunday’s races, while the hard tyre will be used once by each driver. Those on the soft tyre during race one must use the hard tyre in race two if they finish inside the top ten.

Previous rounds have provided an added layer of intrigue when multiple compounds have been in use. Drivers on the soft tyre could find more than a second per lap advantage in the early stages of the race, but will need to strategically choose when to manage the pace as the race progresses. 

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, comments on the strategy at Oulton Park: “These races will be the first time this year we’ve had the soft-hard combination. For drivers at the sharp end, the toughest decision will be whether to run the hard in race one and wait for the performance advantage in race two or start aggressive with a soft.”

“We’re proud of the performance this season, as demonstrated last time in Thruxton, where we saw flat out racing on the most difficult circuit of the season for tyres. Nonetheless, teams will need to find a setup that balances getting the hard tyres fired up and takes care of the soft if they’re to have an advantage over rivals. As with every BTCC round, every second counts.”, Butler adds. 

Hillhead 2024 is the largest quarrying, construction and recycling exhibition in the UK. It takes place every two years at Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, and welcomes 600 exhibitors with around 18,500 visitors. 

The broad appeal of the exhibition makes it an attractive opportunity for Goodyear to showcase their Total Mobility offering including their range of products, services and solutions to help off-the-road operations minimize cost, reduce downtime and stay productive.

Goodyear experts will be on-site to help potential clients understand how its suite of products and solutions can help boost their business. 

Goodyear will present its new GP-4D Gen II tyre (750/65R25) at the show, which is a tyre aimed at articulated dump trucks. The tyre features an optimised tread design, multiple steel belt carcass construction and a unique tread compound. These features add up to benefits such as versatile tread pattern for balanced performance, improved treadwear as well as high level of comfort for the operator.

Discover real-time data with Goodyear TPMS Heavy Duty

Total Mobility includes a bespoke tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) technology for heavy duty vehicles. This allows site operators operating OTR machinery to manage tyres using real-time data to help reduce machine downtime and optimizing tyre life, operational efficiency and costs. The system alerts operators and fleet managers of tyre related issues before they become serious. 

Goodyear TPMS Heavy Duty can be used across all major OTR segments, including port, underground mining, surface mining and construction. 

Nicola Stopford, Marketing Manager UK&I, Goodyear, shares her thoughts about Goodyear returning to Hillhead: “Goodyear looks forward to exhibiting at Hillhead 2024. It’s a unique exhibition that’s perfect for the Off-the-Road segment of the business. OTR machines operate in some of the most challenging environments, and tyres are an essential component to a business's operating costs, competitiveness and of course sustainability.”

“Goodyear proactive solutions such as TPMS Heavy Duty can help prevent common tyre inflation loss. What’s more, it’s hugely exciting to have our new GP-4D Gen II tyre on display, which visitors can come and see and learn more about how it can serve their business.”

Visit Goodyear at Hillhead in stand U13.

Located about 30 miles north of Southampton, Thruxton first hosted the BTCC back in 1969. The venue started its life as an airfield in 1941, and was home to both the Royal Air Force and United States Air Force during world war two.

Goodyear will bring the hard compound tyre this weekend, which is designed to handle the high load demands of Thruxton. Features of the tyre include technologies developed specifically to deliver performance to complement the high lateral forces generated by Thruxton's combination of 12 corners that make up the 2.36-mile circuit. 

The hard tyre has already been used this year at Snetterton alongside the soft and medium, and will return at the next two events at Oulton Park and Croft.

Four-time champion Colin Turkington spoke to Goodyear as a preview to the weekend action at the most demanding circuit on the calendar. One that Turkington knows he’ll need plenty of confidence in his Team BMW car to contend for victory.

“Thruxton is a difficult one given the high speed and abrasive nature that’s really hard on the tyres,'' explains the 69-time BTCC race winner. “You really feel it in qualifying because you’re out for one or two warm up laps and you have to manage the pace, with only one shot to get a perfect lap during each qualifying run.

“That makes Thruxton a unique challenge, given the nature of the circuit, it’s high speed but it’s also bumpy, so you need a car that gives you confidence. The soft and medium Goodyear tyres give a bit more feel, so making sure the setup gets us into a good place confidence wise is key with only the hard available.

“Finding that compliance means we will likely run the car a bit softer at Thruxton,” Turkington continues. “It makes managing the tyre a bit better so we’re competitive at the end of races. Kerbs are also a huge factor, particularly the last chicane where there’s a mega high kerb. That has a big impact on the car and tyre, so some real unique challenges!”

At the Goodyear stand R43, event attendees will have the opportunity to explore Goodyear Total Mobility, the company’s end-to-end fleet management offering that brings together truck tyres, solutions and services to empower fleets to become more efficient, increase competitiveness and foster sustainability. In addition, Goodyear will display its 63% sustainable-material demonstration truck tyre for the first time in the UK¹ after being revealed at the IAA Transportation fair in 2022.

Goodyear’s 63% sustainable-material demonstration truck tyre represents the next generation of commercial vehicle tyres and a step towards a mobility ecosystem that helps fleet customers achieve increasingly important sustainability targets. It is also in line with the company's commitment to increase the use of sustainable materials. The tyre includes 15 ingredients across 20 tyre components. The demonstration tyre is labelled “A” in fuel efficiency, the same rating as the most efficient truck tyres in the Goodyear range. It is manufactured with four different carbon blacks that are produced from plant-based oil, end-of-life tyre pyrolysis oil, carbon dioxide capture, and a low-carbon methane pyrolysis process. More information about the tyre can be found here.

Goodyear’s expert team on site will be available and support visitors to learn more about Goodyear’s fleet management solutions and potential advantages that could be offered to their fleet and instantly connect with Goodyear experts to request a customised proposal tailored to their fleet size, typical routes, and business characteristics.

Fleet mobility solutions, including Goodyear TPMS, Goodyear CheckPoint and Goodyear DrivePoint will be on display. These solutions deliver automated tyre analysis in seconds, and accelerates the productivity and efficiency of fleets, removing the manual element of tyre inspection, so fleets only need to interact with a tyre when an issue is recognised digitally. Data is stored securely on the cloud and updated in real-time through Goodyears’ mobile and web applications.

Nicola Stopford, Marketing Manager UK&I, Goodyear, looks ahead to the exhibition: “It’s great to be part of the Road Transport Expo this year to showcase the full range of technologies Goodyear offers to fleet companies. With such high-quality exhibitors on display each year, it’s one of the UK’s best opportunities to connect with current and potential customers and present the innovation happening inside Goodyear. 

“At the exhibition, our experienced team look forward to demonstrating our continued commitment to developing products and solutions that help support the ambitions of our fleet business partners to be more competitive, more efficient and more sustainable in today’s challenging market, where cost pressures are ever present.”

Visit Goodyear at stand R43, as part of a show that features 200 industry suppliers, including all the major truck-makers and a Knowledge Zone covering key topics such as vehicle compliance, technology innovation and fleet decarbonisation.

^{Source: 1) The 63% sustainable-material truck tire has been produced as a demonstration tire, which is not available on the market.}

Before a wheel turned in the British Touring Car Championship, months of work had taken place to develop, fine-tune and simulate the tyres for the season. Tyres represent the final link between every component of a race-bred touring car and the circuit.

2024 is no different: An all-new spec of tyre has been developed by Goodyear to ensure the on-track action remains thrilling, and the extra power delivered by the hybrid boost is perfectly managed no matter which axle it’s sent to.

This weekend at Snetterton, drivers will be required to use all three compounds across the three races, which is set to add an extra layer of intrigue and mix up the competitive order. 

Ahead of the action, Goodyear sat down with a very familiar face in the paddock. 2022 champion Tom Ingram completed his 300th race at Donington Park last month. The 29-time race winner chats about the impact of having three specifications of tyre available at Snetterton and his role assisting Goodyear with tyre development. 

“The racing will really come alive when we have the three different tyre compounds at Snetterton, it’s where we’ll see the biggest delta between cars all season depending on everyone’s strategy,” enthused the winner of race three at Snetterton last year. “We did a mid-season tyre test there last year and we completed so many laps I was knackered by the end of it!”

“Snetterton itself is a great testing ground as there’s a mix of low, medium and high speed sections”, Ingram explains.

“I was on the soft tyre all the way through, which was the main focus for me. Tests are all about working with the tyre engineers to develop something that performs and lasts well, but also ends up being consistent across a race duration.”

Talking about Goodyear’s latest range of BTCC tyres, Ingram was full of praise for the direction it has gone to make the racing more interesting: “Goodyear has a tyre that will end up making the racing cool. In the past, the biggest deficit was when someone's on a soft tyre. However, from a soft tyre perspective this year, I think it feels very strong and durable. It'll be great for racing.”

“We rely heavily on Goodyear throughout weekends because naturally if you've got a car that's working well, it's easier to get the tyres into a good window. So, for us, it's a big part of the weekend and making sure that we've got high quality and concise information. From all parties, it’s what makes us have the tools to be able to improve the car, to change, or whatever else it needs in between.”

The 2024 British Touring Car Championship heads to Brands Hatch for its second meeting of the year. Rounds four, five and six will each take place on the Indy circuit layout on Sunday 12th May.

Brands Hatch hosted the very first BTCC race in 1958, but its racing roots stretch back to the 1920s as a grass circuit. The 1.2 mile Indy layout features six long and challenging corners, and bears a striking resemblance to the very first layout.  

This weekend, the Goodyear medium tyre, used at the opening rounds at Donington Park National, remains the standard. It will be the mandatory specification for qualifying and two of the three races. Each driver will receive one set of white-branded ‘option’ tyres, with a softer compound which could boost performance by up to 0.7 seconds per lap.

However, drivers on the medium tyre are expected to have greater pace during the closing laps of the race compared to the softer compound.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, discusses the strategic options facing the drivers this weekend: “Last time out at Donington, we saw some great racing up and down the field. With a soft tyre added to the mix for this weekend at Brands Hatch, expect to see a greater difference between cars, especially when it comes to using the soft during one of the races. 

“Teams and drivers will need to analyse with their Goodyear tyre engineer which race is best to use the extra performance. For the fastest drivers, that’s likely to be during the reverse grid at the end of the day.

“We look forward to the soft tyre’s continued presence during this season. Feedback from last year was particularly positive, and it will be the standard tyre later in the season at Oulton Park, Croft and Knockhill.” 

The 30-round season takes place over ten weekends and sees the championship visit eight of the most iconic venues in British motorsport. After the first three rounds at Donington, the championship will visit the likes of Knockhill, with its undulating layout that demands driver focus and commitment, and later to Thruxton, with its high-speed and relentless layout that poses perhaps the ultimate BTCC challenge.

Goodyear has been the exclusive supplier to the championship since 2020. Before that, Dunlop, belonging to the Goodyear group, was the sole tyre supplier to the championship between 2003 and 2019. Both brands have histories in the series going back to its inception in 1958.

New tyre spec to play a major role this season

All but two weekends this season will feature a mix of tyre compounds to spice up the action. Tweaked tyre regulations mean the driver who wins the first race must choose the hardest compound available for the following race. This will force teams to play the weekends strategically on tyre usage, and opens the door for a wide variety of race results. 

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 at Brands Hatch Indy will feature a single set of softs for drivers to use in one of the races, which will inject another layer of strategy that teams must use wisely.  

Only the season opener at Donington (medium) and June date at Thruxton (hard) will use a single specification of Goodyear’s slick tyre.

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, explains the changes to the Goodyear tyre construction: “We’ve worked together with a number of teams to develop the latest Goodyear tyre specification. This season, the new tyres have increased lateral performance using slightly different materials to meet the demands of the more powerful hybrid powertrains. 

“Following driver feedback, we’re very confident these will give the grid greater confidence to push, particularly with changes to the hybrid boost that will have a major impact on races.

“The step in performance between the hard and soft tyre construction will be greater this season, up to 1.2 seconds per lap, so we’re excited to see how that mixes up races and how teams approach the weekends. It’ll emphasise strategy and also allow drivers to give 100% when it matters.”

Images: BTCC

These new roles take overall responsibility for Goodyear’s replacement sales for the consumer and commercial businesses in BeNeLux, Nordics, UK and Ireland. The roles will provide a more simplified leadership structure, with fewer decision-making layers, which will improve agility and allow faster response times for customers. 

Crawley joined Goodyear in 2002 and progressed his career through the UK&I sales and marketing team. Most recently he held the role of Director Motorsport Consumer Europe, leading motorsport activities across Europe, bringing the Goodyear brand back into racing. 

Van Leersum joined Goodyear over 30 years ago as an Account Manager, since then he has had a varied and successful career within commercial tyre sales for the Company holding roles of increasing responsibility over the years and most recently as the General Manager Commercial Tires BeNeLux. 

From March, retailers will be able to buy stock directly from Tyrecall, Ireland's ​leading independent distributor of tyres. 

The service integration with Tyrecall will boost the efficiency of stock management and delivery. It also expands Goodyear’s ability to ensure brand availability, making it easier to respond to customer demands. 

Jamie Stevens, Head of Consumer Sales UK & Ireland, Goodyear: “The addition of Tyrecall to our delivery network will strengthen the presence, and offering, of Goodyear and Dunlop in the market. Goodyear’s ambitions to streamline and expand how its products reach the final retail customers will have a positive impact on its proposition. 

“It will allow Goodyear to ensure brand availability and provide a better service to our customers. It represents a big change, but the partnership will allow us to grow and ultimately give us the infrastructure to enhance the service we provide to retailers.” 

Niall Murray, Managing Director, TyreCall: “We are very excited by the prospect of adding two such iconic brands, Goodyear and Dunlop, to our portfolio and we look forward to working with the Team at Goodyear Ireland to deliver on their ambitions for streamlining availability and continuing to improve on the critical area of service being offered to their expanding customer base.”

The award recognises the exceptional service provided by TruckForce partners on a quarterly basis. Criteria for the award include demonstrating excellent customer and client support while successfully utilising Goodyear’s TruckForce ecosystem, including Goodyear applications such as eJob. 

With more than 2,000 partners across Europe, this award reflects the high-quality service that each TruckForce partner provides to customers around the clock.

McConechy's has led the way when it comes to adopting new Goodyear technologies. It played a vital part in the rollout of the eJob, eCasing, and ServiceLine24 portal, which have helped it provide first-in-class assistance for even the most difficult callouts. 

Customers have commented that they can rely on McConechy's to support them and keep their fleets moving. 

Jamie Neil, Head of Operations Scotland East, Halfords Commercial Fleet Services, explains why McConechy’s were chosen for the Goodyear TruckForce Award: “The Coatbridge team were delighted to win this Award in recognition of their hard work in implementing a robust system to provide Goodyear customers with excellent service throughout the year.” 

Nicola Stopford, Commercial Marketing Manager UK&I, Goodyear: “Congratulations to McConechy's Tyres Coatbridge for being nominated the recipient of the Goodyear TruckForce Award. Their dedication and professional approach led to us to select this partner for the special recognition. In particular, we note their proactivity in supporting the rollout of several Goodyear technologies across the network. 

“An extended thanks to the 2,000 partners that allow Goodyear TruckForce to continue to provide exceptional service to its commercial vehicle customers.” 

In the UK, most drivers are familiar with driving in wintry conditions. However, drivers in the east of England feel more confident in these conditions than those in western regions of the country, according to data from Goodyear’s Winter Driving Attitudes Survey¹, which measured driver confidence in heavy rain, snow and icy conditions. 

The survey found that just 12%¹ of Brits prepare for winter by changing from summer tyres to winter-ready tyres. This compares to 54% of German and 83% of Polish drivers. 

The UK is the northernmost country in Europe without mandatory winter tyre legislation, despite its coldest months frequently experiencing temperatures below 7 degrees, the point at which a winter-ready fitment is recommended over a summer tyre.

The survey explored driving fears in heavy rain, fog, snow, and ice. Regions on the east coast of the UK (East of England (69%)², Yorkshire and Humber (69%) and North East (68%) on average reported higher confidence in adverse weather, with the East Midlands (61%), the North West (61%), Scotland (61%) and Northern Ireland (58%) reporting below-average levels of confidence.

Take the fear out of winter driving

In many European countries, drivers use summer and winter tyres at different times of the year to ensure they are maximising the grip and safety of their vehicles all year round. With modern tyre technology allowing for all-season tyres to rival the benefits of interchangeable summer and winter fitments, it can be the best choice for drivers who prefer not to switch. 

An all-season tyre offers optimised performance all year round, with a larger temperature range where the tyre will perform optimally.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 is an all-season tyre that carries the industry-recognised three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) approval mark, meaning it is specifically designed to operate on snow and has undergone specific tests to support this symbol. 

On the wet roads of the UK, Goodyear’s Aqua Control Technology makes sure water is consistently dispersed across the tyre’s contact patch, and drivers can expect excellent wet performance across the lifespan of the tyre, due to its grooves that evolve throughout their lifetime to continuously ensure water dispersion. Goodyear’s Dry Handling Technology delivers precise turn-in and control with reinforced shoulder blocks, so grip on dry roads is assured all year round. 

Its excellent performance has won numerous tyre tests across Europe, including from AutoExpress, which named it “the best choice for the UK” in winter³, and the prestigious German publication Auto Bild⁴, which also named it its ‘Green tyre 2022’ winner.

Andy Marfleet, Goodyear Director Marketing UK & Ireland: “The take up of all-season and winter tyres in the UK is generally low compared to other European countries. Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 allows drivers to have grip and confidence all year round with a compound that is resistant to stiffening in low temperatures. Results from the survey concluded that countries with high all-season tyre usage also have higher confidence. ¹

“The tyre features technology to reduce cabin noise, while its excellent rolling resistance and efficiency has won the Green tyre award from Auto Bild⁴. This makes it particularly suitable for electric vehicles, which are becoming increasingly popular in the UK.”

This year, Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 is available in more sizes than ever, including for some of the country’s most popular electric vehicles.

1. _{^{The Winter Driving Attitudes Survey was commissioned by Goodyear and carried out on its behalf by 2Europe}}
2. _{^{Percentage calculated with the region’s average confidence score. A higher percentage figure correlates to higher reported confidence.}}
3. _{^{Test conducted by AutoExpress: Best SUV all-season tyres 2023. Article published 31st October 2023. Tyre size 235/55R18 tested.}}
4. _{^{Auto Bild issue 39-2022. Test car: Volkswagen Polo. Test size: 195/55R16. Test winner 2022: Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3. 35 all-season tyres tested.}}

With schools shut and travel chaos reported in many regions of the country, UK drivers could benefit from using all season tyres year-round. 

When temperatures drop, the choice of tyre could be the difference between getting to your destination or getting stranded. According to data collected by Goodyear in its Winter Driving Attitudes Survey, just 12%¹ of Brits prepare for winter by changing from summer tyres to winter-ready tyres. This compares to 54% of German and 83% of Polish drivers.

This also leads to increased anxiety for drivers, which can lead to accidents and delays.

Andy Marfleet, Marketing Director UK&I, Goodyear, explains the importance of selecting the right tyre: “Tyres are the only component of a car that touches the ground. Tests have shown that a two wheel drive vehicle on all season tyres has more grip than a 4x4 on summer tyres when driving on snow and ice. 

“Summer tyres are fantastic in the wet and dry, but when temperatures drop below seven degrees, an all season tyre is much better suited. Goodyear’s Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 has a softer compound structure thanks to its advanced molecular composition. Also, the shape of the tread allows the tyre to work like a claw on snow, giving excellent grip.

“Its advanced compound also delivers grip and safety in the summer months, too.”

Automotive publication Auto Express recently tested the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 against a benchmark premium summer tyre². On snow, the all season tyre had three times the braking grip and double during traction. Given the UK climate, testers concluded that “Goodyear [Vector 4Seasons Gen-3] is the best choice for the UK.”

Following the test result, Andy Marfleet commented: “When it comes to choosing between tyres for the colder, wetter UK months, there is no better product than Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3. It was developed specifically to handle the wide range of conditions. Three times the braking grip is equivalent to around thirty meters when travelling at 30 miles per hour on snow and ice, or almost three bus lengths.

“The tyre performs excellently in the extreme dry and extreme wet. And, with it being the quietest and most fuel efficient, it’s also optimised for the latest generation of electric SUVs.”

^{(1) The Winter Driving Attitudes Survey was commissioned by Goodyear and carried out on its behalf by 2Europe.}

^{(2) Test conducted by AutoExpress: Best SUV all-season tyres 2023. Article published 31st October 2023. Tyre size 235/55R18 tested.}

Commissioned by Goodyear to highlight the key role played by transport fleets at Christmas, the survey concluded gifts for children, partners and family were top of the list.

Significantly, the public was largely unconcerned with self-indulgence, with the fewest people anonymously telling researchers that gifts for themselves were of high importance.

People buy gifts for themselves less often than snacks, advent calendars and greeting cards, with only 33% of respondents saying that greeting cards are an important part of their Christmas tradition. 

Miracle on every street

Focusing on online shopping and home deliveries, the survey found a direct correlation between the importance of gifts and the likelihood that someone will buy them online. Gifts for families topped the list of most likely to purchase online, with food items ranking the lowest. 

The only items to go against that trend were Christmas dinner ingredients, which people are less likely to buy online, and greetings cards which, while consensually unpopular, were among the most popular online purchases.  

Each year, roughly 1.65 billion tonnes of goods are lifted in the UK², 275 times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Thousands of transport fleets are making this happen, all running to schedules that require efficiency and competitiveness while targeting sustainability objectives.

According to the survey, the average household expects to receive 11-15 deliveries during December, and 5% expect to rely on delivery services more than 26 times. This reflects the added pressure put on delivery drivers and fleets nationwide. 

In December 2022, online purchases accounted for 27.1%³ of the total UK retail sales, doubling since 2015 and increasing tenfold since 2006.  

Behind every Christmas delivery is a logistical marvel that makes it possible for an order to be packaged, shipped and delivered within hours. It comprises many complex steps in a supply chain underpinned by efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability targets: from sorting in the warehouse to long-haul freight by land, air and sea. 

Unsung heroes - the transport fleets

With tire management solutions provided by Goodyear, delivery vehicle fleets can boost their efficiency and reliability. 

Nicola Stopford, Commercial Marketing Manager UK&I, Goodyear: “With the increase in dependence on transport fleet efficiency during Christmas and winter, we are proud that our products and solutions support thousands of drivers across the UK and Ireland. 

“The popularity of online shopping has only been possible thanks to sophisticated haulage and logistics networks, which operate around the clock ensuring that our loved ones get that extra special gift this Christmas. 

“Using fleet mobility solutions like Goodyear TPMS, Goodyear CheckPoint or Goodyear DrivePoint, the company supports transport fleets to maximise a vehicle’s time on the road and the overall efficiency of deliveries. Drivers are also far less likely to be stranded with tyre-related issues, making the lives of fleet operators easier and helping every package reach its final destination.”

About Goodyear Total Mobility:

Goodyear Total Mobility offering is an end-to-end approach designed to support fleets efficiency, increase competitiveness and accompany fleets’ sustainable targets with Goodyear’s integrated products, services and mobility solutions. All those elements are connected with the modern web and mobile applications, powered with data processing, demonstrating Goodyear’s expertise in supporting transport fleets in the future and demanding transport ecosystem. 

“With thousands of trucks travelling up and down the UK each day delivering goods, innovative fleet mobility solutions have never been more essential,” adds Stopford. “When it comes to general maintenance, efficiency and competitiveness, Goodyear Total Mobility ticks every box and helps fleets to drive results.” 

^{1. Online survey conducted from November to December 2023 with 91 participants.}

^{2. Domestic Road Freight Statistics, United Kingdom July 2021-June 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/domestic-road-freight-statistics-july-2021-to-june-2022}

^{3. Office for National Statistics: Internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales (ratio) (%)}

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 came out on top in Auto Express’ recent all season tyre test¹. In particular, it excelled in wet conditions, with Auto Express calling it “the best choice for the UK” in winter.

“On the handling track it felt good, with a safe, front-limited balance and plenty of notice of the rear moving at the limit,” testers reported. “It had the edge over its very good rival and backed up this performance with wins in all the other wet tests. Add in the fact that it was also the quietest and most fuel-efficient, and you have our favourite.”

On snow, testers were again impressed by the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3’ performance. It ended the test just 5% off a winter tyre designed for markets with frequent and heavy snowfall.

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 also differentiated itself from its competitors by being the quietest and most fuel-efficient among those tested, particularly important with the increasing popularity of electric SUVs. 

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons has ‘three times grip on snow’

The test also presented an important comparison: relative to a benchmark premium SUV summer tyre, Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 had three times the grip in braking and double during acceleration. This difference is compounded by the weight and size of modern SUVs.

Andy Marfleet, Marketing Director UK&I, Goodyear, commented: “When it comes to choosing between tyres for the colder, wetter UK months, there is no better product than Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3. It was developed specifically to handle the wide range of conditions and performs excellently in the extreme dry and extreme wet. And, with it being the quietest and most fuel efficient, it’s optimised for the latest generation of electric SUVs.”

^{1. Test conducted by AutoExpress: Best SUV all-season tyres 2023. Article published 31st October 2023.}

Goodyear has announced the results of its annual Sustainable Reality Survey. The 2023 edition is the third of its kind, and each year it aims to gain an understanding of how European fleets are driving forward sustainability in the transport and logistics sector, as well as examining the key barriers. 

Among fleets in the UK and Ireland, the importance of sustainability is as high as their European counterparts, with 83% of fleets recognising the impact not only on the environment, but also for their overall operation and bottom line. This compares to nearly three-quarters of surveyed European fleets (68%) which consider sustainability as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’.

Meanwhile, 59% of UK and Irish fleets have formalised sustainability strategies and targets, compared to 33% of European fleets.

67% of fleets reported the active use of fuel-efficient tyres to boost efficiencies. Goodyear’s FUELMAX range is designed to minimise rolling resistance without compromising performance, safety and durability. It uses innovations such as IntelliMax Rib Technology, which stiffens the centre grooves to limit wear, and Flexomatic sipes that react to the forces exerted on the tyre to deliver enhanced grip under braking.

If a 100-vehicle diesel-powered fleet switched to Goodyear FUELMAX ENDURANCE, which can deliver a 2% improvement in rolling resistance¹, the fleet would reduce its CO2 emissions by an estimated 100 tonnes and save 40,000 litres of fuel per year.

Megafleets, defined as fleets with more than 500 vehicles, are the most likely to deploy sustainable strategies, with 83% of these fleets in the UK and Ireland using fuel-efficient tyres. Furthermore, 70% had sustainability KPIs in place, compared to just 43% of fleets with between one and 50 vehicles. 

However, results show that it remains a difficult climate to implement new, and often expensive, solutions. Over half of mid-sized fleets report cost as one of the key barriers. 

“It’s clear from the survey results that fleets need assurances when it comes to making investments,” explains Maciej Szymański, Marketing Director, Commercial Europe, Goodyear. “The main wish from fleets is that solutions will lead to meaningful improvements in sustainability, and positively impact the bottom line. With Goodyear Total Mobility and its range of commercial vehicle tyres, we have an end-to-end solution that provides proven results every time.”

Fuel-efficient tyres a key contributor to fleet sustainability

The survey found that 70% of megafleets use fuel-efficient tyres to help them achieve their sustainability targets. That category also reported the highest use of retreaded tyres, too. In general, smaller fleets exploit these technologies less often, but could still have a significant impact on fleet profitability. 

Across Europe, 56% of fleets use fuel-efficient tyres, with 42% reporting the use of retreaded tyres. Fleets that use the Goodyear retreading solutions can cut overall tyre expenditure by 10% and extend tyre life by an additional 150%². While using existing resources as much as possible, Goodyear’s retreading process uses 56% less crude oil for manufacturing². 

Szymański adds: “This year’s edition of the Goodyear Sustainable Reality Survey found that the popularity of using tyretechnology to increase efficiency correlates to the size of the fleet. This is likely due to the upfront cost of buying the best-in-class tyre. However, savings over the lifetime of the tyre add up, particularly when coupled to a technology like Goodyear Total Mobility that will maximise the product’s lifecycle and effectiveness.”

“The results from the survey are certainly positive, particularly in the UK and Ireland, with many fleets acknowledging the difference an exceptional tyre can make. Excellent tires provide a business with instant improvements in efficiency, and well-maintained tyres can last thousands of miles further. Goodyear has both the products and solutions that help fleets maximise the efficiency and life of their tyres, whether it's with automated monitoring systems or state-of-the-art algorithms that inform managers of issues before they lead to avoidable downtime.”

1. Based on VECTO calculation, difference between C-EU Tyrelabel and B-EU tyre label for fuel efficiency. Switching from a C-label to a fuel-efficient B- label tire represents a reduction of 2% in CO2 reduction. As per internal calculation, this may translate into a saving of about 1 tonne of CO2 emissions and 400L of fuel per truck, per year.
2. Based on internal analysis, comparing the use of a new Goodyear tyre versus a new Goodyear tyre that is regrooved, retreaded and regrooved a second time.

Brands Hatch will bring to an end another action-packed season of racing in the British Touring Car Championship. For the first time this season, teams will be able to decide their own tyre allocation split between Goodyear’s soft and medium compounds.

This season has featured thirty races over the course of ten thrilling and diverse weekends, which could end with a record-equalling fourth BTCC title for NAPA Racing’s Ash Sutton. 

In the championship, Sutton leads the way by 45 points, so he could clinch the title after race one on Sunday if he doesn’t get outscored by Tom Ingram by more than five points.

Sutton has already won the overall Goodyear Wingfoot Award, which awards drivers for their qualifying performances. Sutton has five pole positions in 2023 so far.

Teams given free rein on tyre choice

Going into the action this weekend, each driver will receive one set of soft, two sets of mediums and a free choice of a further three sets of soft or medium. Both compounds must be used at some point during the three Sunday races.

In qualifying, drivers can use whatever they like, however, no mixing of sets will be allowed. 

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader: “As we end another season, I’d like to thank our impeccable team that travels to each race and ensures our operation runs smoothly. 

“We’re all excited to see the action on track this weekend. A final showdown to decide the championship always gets the crowd going. Unlike every other round this season, teams will be given the freedom to decide which compounds they use, which adds another layer of strategic variety. 

“On track, we’re looking forward to the drivers’ championship being decided. Both Sutton and Ingram have driven fantastic seasons. All the best to them as they write another chapter of BTCC history.”

Photos: Connor Botha

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 125^th 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.

Nestled within the Scottish countryside about six miles north of Dunfermline, Knockhill is Scotland's national motorsport centre and is known for its demanding 1.27-mile layout. It is the only FIA-approved circuit in Scotland.

Off the back of all three tyre compounds in action at Croft, it's the soft and 'option' medium tyres that have been allocated for Knockhill. The option tyre is mandatory in one of the three Sunday races, with the usage of the soft mandatory for the entire grid in qualifying. Drivers will need to use the increased grip of the option tyre strategically to achieve the best race results.

Goodyear's classic sidewall colours - white for the soft compound and yellow for the medium - will guide fans trackside and viewers tuned into ITV4's live coverage, adding a visual dimension to the strategic battles unfolding on the track.

Knockhill is one of five circuits on the calendar which has adopted the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format, first introduced in 2020. As part of this, all drivers will take part in the normal 30-minute qualifying session to record their lap times, but following a short five-minute break, the fastest ten competitors will progress to a ten-minute pole position ‘Top Ten Showdown’ session to determine the top ten places on the grid.

Ash Sutton, driving for NAPA Racing UK, remains at the top of the championship, with Excelr8 Motorsport driver and reigning BTCC champion Tom Ingram sitting just six points behind him with four rounds left to go, including Knockhill.

In conversation with Ingram at Croft, he asserted his determination to solidify his position atop the leaderboard: “We have [our eyes on the championship]; we’d be foolish to look away from it. It’s tough this year, but we will just keep doing what we’re doing: keeping our head down, focusing on ourselves, controlling the controllables. There is no point worrying about what everyone else is doing; you just need to focus on your own game and make sure it is as strong as it can be. Fundamentally, anyone who says they don’t come here to win would be lying.”

Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader, anticipates an electrifying seventh round of the season: “The upcoming Knockhill round promises a captivating showcase of racing prowess. The flow of this track is a relentless examiner of drivers' skills, challenging them on every lap. The circuit has also undergone several upgrades, including kerbs that the drivers will need to be mindful of.

“What adds another layer of intrigue is having the option tyre. The choices that the drivers and their teams make will be integral in shaping the very landscape of the championship itself, especially as we edge towards the end of the season."

The North Yorkshire circuit kickstarts the second half of the season, with six drivers having taken victory so far this year. 

Following the success of Snetterton in May which saw the mandatory use of the Goodyear soft, medium and hard tyres across Sunday’s races, the same rules will apply at Croft this weekend.

Each of the three tyre compounds must be used over the course of Sunday’s races, which will give drivers and teams the opportunity to play with the strategy in order to maximise their weekend’s points haul. In qualifying, all drivers will run mediums.

Goodyear’s tyre compounds are denoted by their distinctive coloured sidewall to help fans trackside and viewers of ITV4’s live coverage. The softest in the range features a white sidewall, medium is yellow, and hard is green.

Croft features a 2.05-mile layout with a mix of fast and medium speed corners, a tricky final section, and a hairpin to finish the lap. This variety means teams have to set their cars up to maximise both high speed stability as well as traction from the slow corners. 

Michael Butler, Event Leader: “We’re looking forward to an exciting second half of the season. At Croft, the brilliant flowing layout challenges the drivers every lap. By making all three sets of tyres available, it provides far more strategic opportunities for drivers up and down the grid. We saw at Snetterton that introducing a third compound added a layer of complexity. Assuming the weekend stays dry, drivers can choose one of six different strategic combinations, so expect a lot of variety up and down the field.”

Following the success of all three compounds being used at Snetterton two weeks ago which added a layer of strategy that delivered three thrilling races. Thruxton poses a very different challenge for drivers and teams. Here, drivers will achieve the highest average speeds of the season thanks to the circuit’s multiple long, high-speed corners, with over 110mph average expected in qualifying. The circuit’s notoriously abrasive surface and aggressive kerbs call for the toughest tyre in the Goodyear range.

Michael Butler, Event Leader: “The Goodyear hard tyre has been proven at Thruxton in previous years. We took the decision to not offer a choice of compounds here, forcing drivers to use the hard tyre for qualifying and all three races. The circuit characteristics make it one of the hardest in the world for chassis and tyre engineers.

“Goodyear will also mandate specific pressure and camber settings based on our years of experience at this circuit.”

Goodyear successfully re-introduced the soft tyre at the last race at Brands Hatch, and this will be the first time that all three tyres will be available at a race weekend since Goodyear became the exclusive tyre supplier in 2020.

Snetterton’s ‘300’ layout used by BTCC features several long straights with a mix of low, medium and high-speed corners. The 2.97-mile circuit hosts rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the championship, with tyre strategy and performance set to be key features.

Goodyear’s tyre compounds are denoted by their distinctive coloured sidewall to help the hundreds of thousands of fans who attend BTCC and view the live coverage on ITV4. The softest in the range features a white sidewall, medium is yellow, and green branding on the hard. All three tyres must be used across the three races, with qualifying restricted to the medium compound. 

Michael Butler, Event Leader: “Snetterton is the ideal circuit to make all three of our dry tyres available. Its mix of high-, medium- and low-speed corners will challenge the drivers and teams to think strategically about their tyre usage, as well as adding another element for fans to follow. We also look forward to Croft in July where the same rules will apply.

“In particular, we saw at Brands Hatch that the soft tyre had a pace advantage early in the race, so choosing when to use the extra performance over the weekend will be a big topic of discussion in the garages and briefing rooms.”

When the championship embraced hybrid power in 2022, a single slick tyre was available at each round to give teams a consistent platform to develop the new technology. Now a year in, drivers and teams unanimously requested to bring back the Goodyear ‘Option’ to promote a wider variety of race strategies.

In 2023, three compounds (hard, medium, soft¹) will be available, with Goodyear nominating two for most rounds, excluding the first round in Donington Park where the medium was used, and the abrasive nature of Thruxton means only the hard will be available that weekend.

At Snetterton and Croft, drivers will be required to use all three Goodyear slicks.

This weekend at Brands Hatch, Goodyear has nominated the soft and medium compounds. Drivers are required to use the option tyre for one of the three races. In qualifying, all cars must use the medium. Teams are not required to specify their tyre choices in advance, only when cars leave the pitlane.

Michael Butler, Event Leader: “It will be excellent to see how the different tyre strategies play out throughout a weekend. It’s the first time since 2019 the soft tyre will be used, which adds another layer of strategy to the championship and is great for fans and spectators. With the support of drivers and teams, we have reintroduced a second compound at the majority of races.

“We expect to see a notable advantage for ‘Option’ tyre runners at the beginning of a race, but that will likely see the medium compound come into play as the race progresses. Drivers will have to think strategically to use the increased performance when it matters.”

^{(1) Soft tyre = white sidewall, medium tyre = yellow sidewall, hard tyre = green sidewall, wet tyre = blue sidewall.}

When the final stage of the Dakar was completed on Sunday, 15 January, Boss Machinery Team De Rooy IVECO driver Janus Van Kasteren was crowned the 2023 champion, finishing over 1 hour, 14 minutes clear of his closest rival. Teammates Martin and Mitchel Van Den Brink finished third and fourth in other De Rooy-run trucks. 

While the rock, sand and mud surface of the Dakar, coupled with its steep inclines and descents, are a far cry from the challenges faced every day by Europe’s haulage operators, Goodyear employs the same approach to what is arguably motorsport’s toughest event. Tyres require a design to meet the demands of the conditions in order to extract maximum efficiency, reliability and performance. 

To prepare for this year’s Dakar, Goodyear’s engineers worked side-by-side with Team De Rooy in the team’s test in Morocco three months ago. The test included a simulated version of Dakar, using the Sahara desert to replicate typical features of the Saudi Arabian landscape. The test served to evaluate the Goodyear OFFROAD tyres, which feature a dedicated off-road compound, deep non-skid tread and improved resistance to cuts, making them an ideal choice for the unpredictable Dakar conditions. 

The five days in Morocco also served another purpose; to trial a new Tire Pressure Monitoring System. This on-board technology features a sensor placed within the tyre to alert the driver of anomalies in tire pressure through a display mounted on the truck’s dashboard. On rocky terrain and tough desert surfaces, advance warning regarding tyre temperature and pressure can save teams valuable time in rectification. 

Back on the roads of Europe, identical technology helps saving time, increases efficiency and improves the safety of fleet operations. For example, the Goodyear TPMS technology streamlines the process of checking tyre health, cutting the number of hours a fleet spends on routine checks. An underinflation warning could also prevent a tyre causing further damage or negatively affect fuel efficiency.

Maciej Szymański, Marketing Director Commercial Europe, Goodyear: “Congratulations to Team De Rooy for winning what is arguably one of the motorsport’s toughest challenges. We have supported them with tyres and tyre management solutions several times before, but this year we are particularly proud of introducing TPMS to their four IVECO trucks. Combining our reliable tyres with tire management solutions was once again driving results - this time for Team De Rooy in the Dakar Rally.”

Gerard De Rooy, team owner, Team De Rooy: "Once again, Goodyear OFFROAD tires supported our team in achieving the best possible results in extremely difficult and unpredictable conditions. This year we were able not only to provide great durability and traction, but also to monitor the tire pressure on an ongoing basis thanks to the installed TPMS from Goodyear. This made it easier for us to adapt our strategy to the road conditions and performance of the tyres. It also helped us keep track of our tyre temperature and pressure levels and react quickly and in real time to any challenges that could result in extended downtime."

As the only point of contact between the truck and the varied surfaces of the Saudi desert, choosing the right tyres is a crucial part of a team’s preparation. As such, Team De Rooy chose Goodyear OFFROAD tyres for the challenge, and Goodyear’s engineers worked closely with the team through the pre-event preparation in order to make sure they were ready for any eventuality. 

Janus Van Kasteren finished over 1 hour, 14 minutes ahead of his closest rival at the end of the rally, driving the No. 502 Boss Machinery Team De Rooy IVECO, supported by Darek Rodewald and Marcel Snijders. His teammates Martin and Mitchel Van Den Brink finished third and fourth, respectively. 

It marks another successful Dakar for Goodyear in the Truck category, after finishing first, second and third in last year’s event with another team. The Goodyear OFFROAD tyres that have proven so successful in these tough conditions over recent years are the same specification as those available for fleet operators across Europe. It is particularly designed for low heat generation and high speeds.

Maciej Szymański, Marketing Director Commercial Europe, Goodyear: “Congratulations to Team De Rooy for winning what is arguably one of the motorsport’s toughest challenges. We are proud that our tyres together with an advanced tyre pressure and temperature monitoring system were important and reliable enablers that helped to drive results and to win this legendary rally. The Goodyear OFFROAD tyres are capable of tackling all terrains even under high speed and in difficult conditions, so another victory in the Dakar once again underlines this capability.”

Supporting Team De Rooy at the 2023 Dakar Rally is another example of Goodyear's commitment to truck motorsport. In 2022, the company extended its long-standing partnership and became the official title sponsor of the top truck racing class - Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC).

• Goodyear Tyres takes the lead as technical tyre partner while BTCC introduces hybrid power
• Deal will see the company enter third consecutive decade holding the title sponsorship rights
• 24 years of continuous investment in tyre development for BTCC field

UK, Birmingham, 21^st January, 2021 – Goodyear Tyres and TOCA, Series Organiser of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), have today announced that Goodyear will continue its long-standing partnership with the BTCC for another five years, through to the end of 2026 and through the introduction of hybrid power to the championship. 

This five-year partnership brings with it a number of accolades for the tyre company including owning the bragging rights to entering a third decade of continuous partnership in 2025 and investing nearly a quarter of a century (24 years) into non-stop tyre development through the company’s portfolio of brands. 

Throughout the decades, Goodyear has been at the forefront of tyre development for this cutting-edge series. The company has significantly influenced the performance of the cars as well as introducing RFID tagging, the soft, medium and hard compound options and a new tyre construction – helping to deliver one of the world’s most popular motorsport championships to an audience of tens of millions each year. As the championship goes to the next level with hybrid power, Goodyear will be implementing new tyre technologies accordingly.

Ben Crawley, Director Motorsport Goodyear Europe said: “We are thrilled to have signed yet another extension to our partnership with the BTCC, continuing as tyre supplier and retaining the naming rights to the championship. We were really drawn to the contract extension as we wanted to be part of the next exciting chapter of the championship. With the introduction of hybrid power, new demands will be put onto the tyres and we are able to bring a lot of knowledge and expertise to the programme thanks to our experience working with leading OEMs where we are shod on some of their hybrid and electric vehicles. 

“The fact that this contract also brings us fantastic milestones, such as entering a third decade of partnership, makes us feel really proud as we reflect on all of the fantastic things we have done as a company to promote and develop the championship, not only for the teams and drivers, but also the fans. We look forward to entering this new chapter with the UK’s leading racing championship.”

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, added: “The BTCC having a strong technical tyre partner is a key component of our success. As well, being the first major touring car championship to confirm its pathway for introducing hybrid technology, Goodyear is a hugely significant part of it.

“This is a very exciting period for the championship, and I’m pleased that we will continue our partnership with Goodyear through to the end of 2026. Goodyear has been an incredibly proactive and engaged partner of the BTCC for so many years and their ongoing commitment will help the championship continue to thrive into the future.”

The Emira has been developed to offer the trademark precision and unfiltered driver feedback that Lotus drivers demand. It is built on a new lightweight bonded aluminium chassis, technology pioneered by Lotus and which remains an intrinsic part of the company’s sports car DNA. Lotus chose to work with Goodyear to develop a tyre that matched very specific requirements to support the company’s legendary focus on ride, handling and agility.

The Eagle F1 SuperSport is Goodyear’s latest UUHP (ultra-ultra high performance) tyre. It has a unique construction featuring a Powerline cover that enables it to retain its shape and maximise its footprint. This gives the high-speed stability that’s essential for this type of sports car. This, coupled with an innovative U-shaped compound combination known as DualPlus Technology, provides defined tread zones for outstanding wet and dry performance.

The Eagle F1 SuperSport has been specifically developed for the Emira in 245/35ZR20 front and 295/30ZR20 rear with tuning to optimise the ride, handling and steering feel of the vehicle. This research and development work on the Emira project means the tyre construction is unique to the Lotus Emira, and has LTS branding on the sidewall as proof.

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, Lotus, commented: “Tyres are a hugely important part of the vehicle dynamics equation where ride, handling, grip, agility and stability must all work in harmony with each other. For Lotus, where world-class vehicle dynamics and benchmark ride and handling are key to our brand DNA, tyre choice is vital.”

He added: “As with all Lotus cars, we carried out extensive testing and development to ensure all the areas that contribute to the vehicle dynamics, including the tyres, suspension and kinematics, deliver to our extremely high targets. Working with Goodyear on this specially developed tyre has ensured that these targets have been met.”

Hans Vrijsen, Managing Director, Original Equipment, Goodyear, stated: “We are delighted to partner with Lotus again after they selected the Eagle F1 SuperSport for the Emira. Lotus is regarded for setting the highest standards in vehicle dynamics and they have found the Goodyear tyre to be the perfect match.”

This joint development between Lotus and Goodyear rekindles a long and successful partnership. Goodyear was the original equipment fitment on many of the most iconic Lotus cars from the 1970s to 1990s. The Elan, Elite, Eclat and Excel sports cars were all gripped by Goodyear, as was the Lotus Esprit Turbo which became an icon in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only starring Roger Moore.

This road tyre development went hand-in-hand with Lotus’ racing success, with Goodyear and Lotus sharing the top step of a Formula 1 Grand Prix podium 32 times in a 14-year span from 1973 to 1987. The Lotus and Goodyear F1 hall of fame features legends such as Emerson Fittipaldi, Ronnie Peterson, Mario Andretti, Elio De Angelis Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna.

The Emira is offered with a choice of two petrol engines: a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a supercharged 3.5-litre V6, with power outputs between 360 and 400 hp. The Emira is the last internal combustion engined Lotus before the British manufacturer embarks on its all-electric future.

When: Weather permitting, the Goodyear Blimp will arrive in the UK over Folkestone on the mornings of the 26^th, 27^th, 29^th and 30^th June, before flying further inland. The flightpath will take it over Dover, Maidstone and Dartford, though it will also pass near Ashford. These flyovers are expected to take place late-morning, though an exact time cannot be specified.

Why: The Goodyear Blimp is returning to the UK for the first time in over 10 years, to act as an aerial ambassador for Goodyear. It will fly over Brands Hatch on 26th and 27th June, where it will provide aerial footage of the BTCC race taking place, and over central London on 29th and 30th June.

Who: Local media representatives who are interested in taking photos/video of the Goodyear Blimp can contact Bottle PR on goodyear@wearebottle.com for updates on its estimated arrival.

Trivia: The Goodyear Blimp operating in the UK will be a Goodyear-branded, Zeppelin NT airship, operated by Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH of Friedrichshafen, Germany. This appearance is part of the latest chapter in a nearly 100-year relationship between Goodyear and Zeppelin.

The semi-rigid Zeppelin NT airship measures over 75m in length and almost 18m in height. More commonly seen flying in the United States at major sporting events including NASCAR races, NBA games and PGA golf events, the Goodyear Blimp is a UK icon in its own right. It made its first European flight over Cardington, England, in June 1972, and has since appeared at a number of prominent sporting and cultural events, including the 1980 FA Cup Final at Wembley, Live Aid in 1985 and even two royal weddings.

“The Goodyear Blimp is a true icon that has captured the imaginations of consumers and enthusiasts in the United States and across the world for nearly one hundred years,” said Pravesh Amtha, General Manager Goodyear UK&I. “Its return to the UK has been long-awaited and we’re incredibly excited to see it soaring over both London and the BTCC.”

Launching its European campaign in 2020, Goodyear flew over iconic races such as Le Man 24 hour and will continue to fly in 2021 across a number of major international racing events.

The Goodyear Blimp operating in the UK will be a Goodyear-branded, Zeppelin NT airship, operated by Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH of Friedrichshafen, Germany. This appearance is part of the latest chapter in a nearly 100-year relationship between Goodyear and Zeppelin.

The semi-rigid Zeppelin NT airship measures over 75m in length and almost 18m in height. It is the same model airship as the three Goodyear blimps operated by Goodyear in the United States. It will act as a stunning brand ambassador for Goodyear as it soars over the UK, providing unique aerial coverage of the BTCC event taking place at Brands Hatch, before making a two-day appearance in the skies over London.

More commonly seen flying in the United States at major sporting events including NASCAR races, NBA games and PGA golf events, the Goodyear Blimp is a UK icon in its own right. It made its first European flight over Cardington, England, in June 1972, and has since appeared at a number of prominent sporting and cultural events, including the 1980 FA Cup Final at Wembley, Live Aid in 1985 and even two royal weddings.

For imagery of the Goodyear Blimp, please see here.

 For more on the Goodyear Blimp’s return to Europe, follow the Goodyear Blimp on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

The expanded suite of high performing tyres and interoperable data-driven tyre and fleet management solutions will offer transportation companies a one-stop solution enabling more efficient and sustainable operations. The customizable value proposition offered by Goodyear and ZF will further ease the digital transformation process for fleets and OEMS by connecting multiple data streams from one common telematics hardware.

“The turnkey proposition proposed by Goodyear and ZF is addressing the growing complexity linked to demanding fleet operations,” said Grégory Boucharlat, Vice President, Commercial Europe for Goodyear. “It enables operators to stay agile and make informed decisions to boost vehicle uptime, promote more economical driving, extend the service life of tyres and assets, lower emissions and improve customer service delivery management based on an integrated tyre and fleet dataset translated into actionable insights.”

“ZF’s collaboration with Goodyear harnesses the expertise and extensive capabilities of two industry-leaders behind a shared conviction to offer European fleets and trailer builders the benefits of a one-stop Fleet Management solution.“ said Peter Bal, Business Leader – Digital Customer Services, EMEA with ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Control System division. “Our ability to supply an integrated solution, with reduced hardware investment, means customers can benefit from simplified operations as they seek to gain further efficiency, as well as enhanced safety and cargo security.”

One-stop solution for smart tyre and trailer managementIn 2019, Goodyear introduced its customizable Goodyear Total Mobility value proposition, providing full tyre monitoring and management insights from mounting the right tyres per type of operations, planning proactive maintenance and retreading. The innovative offer includes the Goodyear Tyre Pressure Monitoring system with proprietary G-Predict algorithm providing real-time proactive alerts and preventing up to 90% of tyre related breakdowns.¹ 

Through an interoperable and flexible solution, based on a single telematics unit, called TX-TRAILERPULSE^TM, customers can now access the services and support of both companies including ZF’s Transics FMS solutions:

• combining TX-TRAILERPULSE^TM solution and TX-TRAILERFIT^TM insights with FleetOnlineSolutions tyre management of Goodyear will provide a full view on the performance, usage and health of both tyres and the trailer park. Fleets will benefit in terms of faster service, precise tyre mileage insights, avoiding premature tyre change and trailer maintenance. Truck and trailer rental companies can provide increased transparency linked to accurate trailer and tyre-use by the end customer.
• TX-CONNECT^TM shares real-time data on the trailer position, geofencing, traffic and enables customer’s cargo follow-up. Service providers can access the data as well to plan proactive maintenance during waiting and resting times.

The integrated tyre and fleet management offer will bring visibility and operational efficiency to a new height, in terms of:

• Flexibility - customers select a service and solution package in line with their needs

• Simplification - one common hardware and integrated dashboard providing tyre, vehicle and cargo management data access, allowing further integration of brand-agnostic systems already used in the daily operations.
• Time-savings – fact-based decision making and actionable insights to prevent downtime and plan proactive maintenance. Comprehensive set-up resulting in shorter installation time.
• Customer experience – both partners will provide expert road and fleet assistance via a strong pan-European service network.

Supporting advanced mobility and sustainable transport objectivesThe collaboration will build on its joint data-driven monitoring and predictive analytics capabilities to help EU trailer OEMS and commercial fleets smoothly transition to future regulations including the GSR5 TPMS regulations requiring HCV’s to be progressively equipped with TPMS as of July 2022. As well as the EU General Safety Regulation mandated advanced safety functions.

Supporting greener mobility, smart monitoring technology and low rolling resistance tyres are striving to contribute to positively impacting total vehicle CO2 emissions. For example, a 100-truck fleet can lower its emissions by 4% and TCO by €40,000 a year, through fuel-cost savings by using low rolling resistance tyres.²

Moving forward, the partners will continue to deliver the very latest, future-proof and customized support for large fleets and trailer manufacturersacross Europe. 

More information can be found on Goodyear Truck. 

___

¹. Comparison of 50 fleets and after installation of Goodyear TPMS in 2019, based on internal field tests.

^2. Potential savings based on a Goodyear calculation model, taking into account the rolling resistance performance of new tyres. Actual savings may vary based upon vehicle condition and maintenance, traffic conditions, driver behaviour and other factors.

Specialising in the complete lifecycle management of truck tyres, TruckForce operates the length and breadth of the UK, offering services that range from routine on-site maintenance to roadside assistance in the event of a tyre-related breakdown. It provides these services for numerous high-profile fleets, including those operated by large organisations such as Warburtons and Reynolds Logistics.

TruckForce has already made significant headway in its plans to increase both its headcount and the number of vans in its fleet by 30%, representing the largest expansion that the team has seen in seven years. With Goodyear having been recently appointed as the tyre and mobility solutions partner to a number of high-profile fleets over the past few months, TruckForce has begun to support an additional 20,000 trucks, trailers and vans throughout the UK. This growth will therefore be invaluable to providing extended support for both new and existing customers.

TruckForce operates from a network of strategically located hubs, in order to provide customers with national coverage. As part of this growth strategy, it has begun to adjust the profile of its existing hubs to reflect the evolving needs of the transportation industry. Its Yorkshire hub, for example, has been relocated to Rotherham, and the Derbyshire hub has moved to Derby in order to open a national training facility for new technicians.

The expansion will also see the creation of two new operational roles. These roles will be responsible for overseeing the day to day running of the TruckForce network and ensuring that it continues to excel in meeting customer needs. They will also see that the network is adhering to all necessary Health and Safety requirements.

Richard Tawlks, Manager of TruckForce Equity UK, comments: “This is a period of significant growth for our business, and the fact that it’s taking place is a reflection of the huge amount of hard work put in by our team. It’s a testament to the service that we provide for our customers and the confidence that they have in us. However, this is also an incredibly challenging time for the industry. The pandemic has put a real strain on fleets, with commercial organisations playing a vital role in keeping the UK moving, and we’re very proud to have been on hand to support. Now, with the UK opening up again, this expansion underway and the new contracts that Goodyear has recently taken on, it’s an incredibly exciting time for us at TruckForce. We can’t wait to see where this next step takes us.”