Pirelli Celebrates F1 Tyre Factory Inauguration

On September 23 Pirelli officially inaugurated what it calls the “Factory of Champions” at its plant in Izmit, Turkey, where the company will produce tyres for all Formula One teams during the 2011 to 2013 seasons. The inauguration served as a double celebration for Pirelli, as 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the Izmit facility’s opening and the Italian tyre maker’s operations in Turkey.

Producing eight million tyres for cars, trucks and motorsport each year, Izmit has the largest unit output of any Pirelli tyre. The group has invested 140 million euros there over the last ten years and plans to invest a further 30 million euros in 2011 to support expansion in Turkey and nearby emerging markets. The Izmit site has housed Pirelli’s motorsport tyre production line since 2007 and, in synergy with the company’s research and development centre in Milan, will become the heart of Pirelli’s Formula One activities.

Driver Chooses Infinity Tyres for Dutch Drifting

Oliver Harrsch drives a BMW E-30 powered by a 3.6 Litre engine from an M5 BMW 

and equipped with Infinity 050 UHP tyres

Drifting driver Oliver Harrsch recently competed in a round of the Dutch Open Drift Championship held in Kalkar, Germany (held 11 - 12 September) equipped with Infinity tyres. Harrsch was supplied the tyres by Venlo-based Infinity distributor Euro-Tyre and according to the company, the small and technical course was suited to lower powered cars and the more skilled drivers. On the first day, dry conditions allowed Harrsch to push the Infinity 050 UHP tyres to their limits and to experiment with tyre pressures. He commented: “Lots of grip and very smokey! Infinity are unbelievably good tyres!" In extremely wet conditions on the second day, Oliver took a very commendable fourth position... 

Brembo Plans Brake Plant in Czech Republic

Italian brake product maker Brembo has announced plans to build a new production plant in the Czech Republic. The three-year, 35 million euro project will start operations in 2011. The project included rehabilitating an existing industrial building in the city of Ostrava, Brembo said.

Brake calipers and other aluminum components will be cast, machined and assembled there, Brembo said, and it plans to develop an “integrated industrial center supplying quality brake systems with a high technological content to the European market.”

Brembo Czech s.r.o. is expected to achieve sales turnover of around 55 million euros in 2014, generated through new business through the new plant.

Industry News

Borla Performance Industries announced the merger of TWM Induction into the Borla Performance group of companies. According to a release, the merger enables the two companies to leverage their collective 60 years of experience to design, manufacture, market and sell induction and exhaust systems worldwide. TWM Induction, originally based in Goleta, California, has moved into the 320,000-sq.-ft. headquarters of Borla Performance, located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Borla and TWM Induction have supplied racing teams, classic car enthusiasts and speed fans with their world-class engineering expertise and personalized approach. A joint operation named Borla Induction will soon launch, introducing a new line of late-model products

A new formula for 2013 emerges

Turbos have been banned in F1 since 1989 © Sutton Images

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Details of Formula One's radical new regulations for 2013 have begun to emerge, although they will not be confirmed until later this year.

The sport is set for a major overhaul to introduce more efficient engines, ground-effect aerodynamics and road-relevant technologies to F1 cars.

According to GP Week the teams have agreed to adopt 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder turbo engines, limited to 10,000 rpm and producing approximately 650bhp. The new engines will be mated to kinetic energy recovery systems, capable of producing a further 150bhp power boost. A fuel flow rate limit will also be introduced to ensure the engines are frugal compared to the current crop of 2.4 litre V8s.

To reduce drag engineers will be allowed to reintroduce ground-effect aerodynamics - pioneered in the 1970s but banned due to safety concerns. Sidepods will also be moved forwards to increase driver protection, while the size of the wheel rims is expected to increase in future years.

The basis of the 2013 rules are likely to be outlined in more detail after a forthcoming meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

Big Interest in Tiny Cars

Video: a lap of Korea with Chandhok