Tyre wars at Le Mans this year?

This year at Le Mans the “tyre war” if any, can only be in the LM P2 class, where Dunlop provides tyres for 12 cars and Michelin for 5. In the other classes Michelin have a de-facto monopoly in 2014. Dunlop have withdrawn from the GTE classes as they rationalise their production this year having closed down their racing operations in England and moved to mainland Europe. They may well return in future years to challenge Michelin and other tyre manufacturers in GTE and maybe even LM P1.

Surface

One key difference in racing at Le Mans is the track surface. Because about 70% of the circuit is used by the public for the rest of the year it brings special problems for tyre companies. The rubber particles and diesel spillage over the year make for a very highly polished surface which makes the track less “grippier” and conditions can change dramatically on different parts of the circuit.

Straights

Durability is important here because of the long straights. Even though the track is low on abrasion it is important to keep heat in the tyres and sometimes tyres can be too cold coming off the straights. Tyre companies therefore concentrate on designing compounds to warm up quickly and still ensure that the construction is strong enough.

Downforce

At Le Mans, teams run bespoke aerodynamic packages with an emphasis on straight line speed. Tyre companies help teams compensate for a lower downforce set up by having an increased contact patch and compounds that maximise grip.

Temperatures

Temperatures at Le Mans drop at night, sometimes as low as 4C but grip levels are different here. Therefore it’s important to achieve as wide an operating window as possible as conditions change during the race.

Pressures

Car set up and driver styles are all different and there may be subtle differences between the 3 drivers in one car. Therefore tyre engineers have to liaise closely with the team engineers, throughout the week the set up and tyre pressures need to be optimised to get the best performance. This can change due to changing weather conditions and as the track cleans up and “rubbers in” during practice and qualifying.

Award
This year at Le Mans there will be the "Michelin Total Performance Award", which is intended to reward the competitor with the most efficient use of energy and materials. This is measured by five criteria combining durability and energy efficient performance. 

Today the skies are overcast but the forecast is for warm conditions for the race, the tyre engineers must be ready for every eventuality!