An historic day for the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV

The inaugural Paris ePrix took place in chilly but dry weather, a first for the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV and a challenge to which it rose without flinching.


The first Formula E race in the streets of Paris was a moment that the teams had long been waiting for, especially the French teams, of course, and also Michelin, a founding partner of the innovative electric single-seater series.

The 14-turn circuit of almost two kilometres in length formed a loop around the famous Hôtel des Invalides in the French capital’s seventh district and it turned out to be one of the most technically demanding of the championship. Its profile and surface were particularly hard on tyres, while Saturday’s cold weather – which saw the temperature rangefrom 9 to 12°C – prevented them from reachingtheir ideal working temperature as quickly as possible.

Serge Grisin, manager of Michelin’s Formula E programme, didn’t see that as a major problem, however: “Since the beginning of the Formula E Championship, we have come across practically all the types of conditions you can imagine. Our tyres have performed in track temperatures ranging from as lowas 5°C during testing at Donington [Great Britain] and Issoire [France], to as high as 55°C in Putrajaya [Malaysia] and Buenos Aires [Argentina]. The versatility of the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV, which was designed specifically for Formula E, is unique in the world of single-seater racing.”


“Transferring technology from the race track to the streetis effectively a driving force behind Michelin’s involvement in motorsport.”

The dramatic 2016 Paris Formula E ePrix was won by Brazil’s Lucas Di Grassi (ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport), ahead of Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne (DS-Virgin Racing) and Switzerland’s Sébastien Buemi (Renault-e.dams).


Round 8 of the 2015/2016 FIA Formula E Championship will take teams to Berlin, Germany, on May 21.


The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is a unique tyre developed especially for the FIA Formula E Championship

- The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV’s interior diameter - 18 inches – permits a direct carry-over of the technologies it packs to mass-produced tyres, since the FIA Formula E Championship provides a life-size proving ground. Formula E is the first single-seater championship to use tyres of this diameter.

- Its tread pattern is visually similar to that of a road tyre, or a racing tyre for wet conditions, but the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is used by the Formula E teams whatever the weather.

- Each Formula E car is allocated a single set of tyres for the entire race day (free practice, qualifying and the race itself). In order to minimise the number of tyres used in the championship, the spares are tyres that are carried over from the previous ePrix.



The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV – Technical Description

Size:

Front: 24/64-18 / Rear: 27/68-18 (according to the system employed by Michelin Motorsport, i.e. tread width in centimetres / exterior diameter in centimetres / rim diameter in inches). That’s equivalent to road tyre sizes of 255/40R18 (front) and 305/30R18 (rear), i.e. overall tyre width (mm) / aspect ratio (sidewall-height to tyre-width ratio) / rim diameter (inches). The letter ‘R’ signifies ‘radial’.


Because of its patterned tread and 18-inch interior diameter, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV resembles a road tyre. Yet it packs numerous technologies that are currently being tested with a view to their being carried over to Michelin’s catalogue tyres over the coming years.

*This is Press Release

Marquez Takes his First Michelin Victory After a Dramatic Race-Day in Argentina

Michelin’s MotoGP™ debut at the demanding Termas de Rio Hondo circuit was marked with an impressive win by Honda’s Marc Marquez after an eventful day at the Argentinian track.

Following yesterday’s incident with Scott Redding’s rear tyre and the subsequent decision to withdraw both rear tyres from this weekend’s proceedings, heavy overnight rain meant the riders couldn’t test the extra tyre so a further decision between Michelin, Dorna and IRTA was taken to make the race a two stage event on safety grounds. The riders were allowed to use the tyres that they had tested all weekend, but a mandatory rule was made that they had to pit after nine, ten or eleven laps and change to another bike with the same spec tyres. The distance was also reduced to 20-laps to accommodate the extra safety measures.

The race started under heavy cloud, but the track had dried out sufficiently to allow for some competitive and exciting racing. Pole-setter Marquez got a good start, before Jorge Lorenzo hit the front on his Yamaha. He was then passed on the first-lap by Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso, a position he held until lap-three when Marquez took over at the front. As the first part of the race progressed Marquez and the Yamaha-mounted Valentino Rossi got involved in an interesting battle that saw the pair regularly change places. At the end of lap-10 Marquez and Rossi came into the pits to change their bikes, with the Spaniard taking the upper-hand with a quick change, enabling him to get out in front of Rossi and create a gap.

As the race continued Marquez stretched his lead, while Rossi got involved in a four rider battle with Dovizioso and his Ducati team-mate Andrea Iannone, along with Suzuki’s Maverick Viñales. With all four vying for positions it looked to be going right to the last lap, before Viñales crashed out on a damp-patch on lap-18, leaving three Italians to battle for the remaining podium places. This looked like being the case, right up until the final corner when Iannone tried a last-minute manoeuvre on his team-mate and the pair crashed, leaving Rossi to come home in second, with Honda’s Dani Pedrosa profiting from the crash to take third. Eugene Laverty on a satellite Ducati took fourth and the honour of First Independent Team Rider, with another Ducati, this time belonging to Hector Barbera in fifth.  Pol Espargaro on a Yamaha was sixth, Stefan Bradl seventh on an Aprilia and Bradley Smith riding a Yamaha in eighth. Tito Rabat on a Honda took ninth, whilst the second Aprilia, ridden this time by Alvaro Bautista rounded out the top-ten. The result leaves Marquez at the top of the World Championship Classification, with Rossi in second and Pedrosa third.

Michelin now heads immediately to North America where round three of the MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on Sunday 10th April.

Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda:

“This weekend was a special one for the tyres and I completely understand what happened. For every manufacturer it is difficult to understand every new circuit, especially one with a difficult surface. We had some troubles with the tyres, plus the rain this morning, so it made everything more difficult. I think Michelin did a big effort and they chose the right decision to make two races in one, because safety is a big point. I believe in Michelin because they are working really hard and making a big effort, and I totally understand what they are doing and that they are working hard to give us the best quality.”

Nicolas Goubert - Deputy Director, Technical Director and Supervisor of the MotoGP Programme:

“I would first like to thank Dorna, IRTA and all the teams for the understanding and assistance in what has been a very challenging couple of days for us. The decision we took with Race Control with the introduction last night of the extra tyre was the right one for rider safety and the change to the schedule to accommodate another practice session was also the best solution. Unfortunately the weather intervened and we had to make further alternative plans. As always the rider’s safety is our paramount concern and we wanted to do everything in our power to make sure that this afternoon’s race went ahead without any incidents.  As it happened we were treated to a very exciting race.”

Piero Taramasso -Manager of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group:
“This has been a very difficult weekend for us, but it is all part of the learning process. We have to take all the information and the positives from what was eventually a good race and move forward. We now head to Austin, which is again another completely new track, but we are ready for the task ahead and we will be doing all we can to ensure a safe and competitive race for all.”​

*This is Press Release

Join Michelin in the Quest for #SaferMobility

Let your photos bring safety to the streets and highways!  We invite you to join Michelin's Facebook Photo Contest from March 1 to 6, 2016 by sharing photos of yourself or other motorists and commuters who are Following OR Not Following safety rules on the road. Please do your share to promote road safety and better mobility by posting your pictures at the Michelin Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sem16michelin.

For details on how to join the Photo Contest, please see the Mechanics below.

Michelin is a partner of the Shell Eco-Marathon 2016 for the third straight year. This event about energy-efficiency and better mobility will take place at the Quirino Grandstand, Roxas Boulevard, Manila on March 4 to 6, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit the Michelin Fanzone booth at the Shell Eco-Marathon to know more about road safety and better mobility. Lots of freebies and prizes are in store for Photo Contest participants and Fanzone visitors too!

Michelin #SaferMobility Photo Contest

MECHANICS
1.    Visit the MICHELIN Facebook page at (www.facebook.com/sem16michelin), and join our photo contest. Post a photo that you took that depicts "safer mobility". The photo should be about good or bad road safety habits that you can observe as people go through their daily drive or commute. (For example, a passenger wearing a seatbelt, a pedestrian crossing in the pedestrian lane  (GOOD HABITS); a motorcycle rider without a helmet, commuters hanging on to the back of jeepneys (BAD HABITS),etc. You can use those examples and more in your photo entries.

2.    Write a description for your photo. (You can use just one word or phrase to describe the photo.)

3.    You can submit more than one entry. Post your entry/ies on the MICHELIN Facebook wall and include your Facebook name.

4.    Twelve (12) winning photos will be selected by a panel of judges from Michelin based on what they consider to be the best interpretation of the theme “SAFER MOBILITY”. All decisions by the panel will be final.

5.    All the Winning Entries will receive a prize from Michelin. The winning entries will be posted in the Michelin Photo Gallery Wall at the SEMA 2016 Fanzone.


NOTES: Three (3) daily winners (from March 1-6) will be announced at the Michelin Fanzone booth at the Shell Eco Marathon Asia 2016 Event, Michelin SEMA Event Facebook page, and Michelin’s Philippines Website. 

Three (3) lucky Grand Winners will receive the grand prize : the experience of being inside an energy efficient vehicle and a ride around the Shell Eco Marathon track. (The winner will be pre-announced one day before the track day to guarantee his/her presence.)  

Thursday, Saturday & Sunday: 4.30pm - Winner to be present at 4pm.
Sunday 5th March: 4.00pm - Winner to be present at 3.30pm.
All contest participants who did not win but participated in the Photo Contest will receive a gift from Michelin. All they have to do is show their post/contest entry to Michelin Staff at the Fan Zone booth.
   
6. This contest is open to all Filipinos, at least 13 years old and above.

7. This contest is valid from March 1 to March 6, 2016 only (up till noon, local time).

*This is Press Release