French tyre company, Michelin, which has recorded a record 14 consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans today announced a new ‘slick intermediate’ tyre designed specifically for LMP1 hybrid prototypes.  The new innovation is a slick tyre which can run in damp conditions and replaces the intermediate, patterned tyres of the past.

Michelin’s new hybrid tyre is the fruit of much work by the firm’s engineers to optimise the operating window of its tyres, that is to say the spectrum of temperatures and conditions across which they are capable of performing.  The work has been carried out in association with both Audi and Toyota who will be the first teams to benefit from the new technology. 

Serge Grisin, Manager of Michelin’s Four Wheel Motorsport programme, said this evening, “We wanted to develop a tyre which will lead to an evolution in performance, energy and efficiency.  The new hybrid slick looks exactly like a slick tyre and will be identifiable by its two Michelin stickers instead of the one usually seen.  We are looking for a tyre which will give maximum performance and longevity without any trade-off between the two areas.  This tyre will meet the requirements of both the Audi and Toyota hybrid LMP1 cars, and it is also available to the Audi R18 ultras.”

Because of the exceptional length of the 14km circuit used for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it is not rare for drivers to come across different conditions at opposing parts of the track.  Changeable weather complicates the strategic challenge that teams face during a race, as do varying temperatures and humidity levels, and Michelin is confident this new tyre will meet all those challenges.

Michelin is working with 32 of the 56 cars invited to compete in the 80^th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and is present in the LMP1, GTE-Pro and GTE-Am classes as well as the ‘experimental’ category.  For this last, which in 2012 features the No.0 Nissan DeltaWing, Michelin has set a target of being able to complete 10 stints on one set of tyres. 

Photo: 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 13TH JUNE 2012.  Michelin's new hybrid 'slick intermediate' tyre for LMP1 Audis and Toyotas.