Michelin named official tyre supplier for ‘Hypercar’ class
It is a brand new racing class and for now only Toyota and Aston Martin have confirmed their participation.
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has announced a three-season deal with Michelin for the supply of tyres to the new top class of endurance, poised to take to the track in the 2020-21 FIA World Endurance Championship.
The new hypercar class, according to the Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA), is based on the car industry’s development of exotic road-going supercars, such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie.
To be eligible for inclusion in the WEC Hypercar class, a manufacturer must produce at least 20 units of the particular model in a calendar year, the FIA said.
For WEC competition, hypercars will have a minimum curb weight of 1,100 kg and have a rated powertrain average total output of 550 kW (750 hp). If a manufacturer opts for a hybrid powertrain, the output of the hybrid powerplant is limited to 200 kW (270 hp).
For models based on road-legal hypercars, the hybrid powerplant can be used for all four wheels whereas it must be limited to the front wheels in a prototype design.
These regulations are designed to create a top class with a level playing field and limited impact of the budget on the performance to encourage teams to run two cars in a full FIA WEC season over a five-year campaign, the FIA said.
So far only Toyota Motor Co. and Aston Martin have committed to the Hypercar class, starting in the 2020-21 season.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: The FIA World Endurance Championship and particularly the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has enjoyed the benefit of Michelin’s technical expertise and pioneering outlook for many years now. As supplier of the new Hypercar class, the French manufacturer will be making a vital contribution to the bright new era of endurance racing.
Scott Clark, Executive Vice President of the Americas region for Michelin Group, responsible for the Company’s global automotive, motorsports and experiences business segments: We are very pleased to have been selected as the tire supplier to the new Hypercar category in the World Endurance Championship, which will enable Michelin to remain committed to the highest level of endurance racing, where our brand has excelled for over 20 years.
The new Hypercar category, vehicles most similar to exotic “super cars”, offers us new and particularly interesting challenges and also allows us to strengthen our partnership with exclusive vehicle manufacturers. As always, our goal is to develop tires that deliver the highest levels of performance and consistency over their life. Additionally, we look forward to bringing innovations that deliver sustainability solutions to the series, in complete alignment with Michelin Group’s strategy.
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