Goodyear returns to Imola this weekend for round three of the European Le Mans Series season, where 36 cars across the LMGT3, LMP2 and LMP2 Pro/Am categories will take on the flowing Italian circuit on Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres.
The race marks the first outing for many European Le Mans Series teams since last month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Goodyear supplied 44 cars on the grid in its largest-ever endurance racing operation.
Every team in the LMGT3, LMP2 and LMP2 Pro/Am categories will run their respective Goodyear Racing Eagle Medium tyres this weekend, at a track which offers a contrasting challenge to many of the more demanding circuits on the calendar. Its smooth surface and flowing layout places lower stress on tyres, reducing overall tyre degradation and emphasising strategy over the four hour race.
Goodyear therefore expects teams to explore a variety of strategies this weekend, weighing the time saved in the pit lane by extending stints against the potential performance gains of equipping new Goodyear Racing Eagle tires more frequently.
“Imola is one of the tracks where tyre strategy can have a significant influence on the outcome of the race,” explained Stephen Bickley, Goodyear Endurance Program Manager. “Earlier this year in the FIA World Endurance Championship round, differing tyre strategies played a decisive role in shaping the race. Some teams minimised time in the pit lane through multi-stinting tyres, while others opted to fit fresher tyres more frequently.”
“The allocations in the European Le Mans Series mean teams do not have to multi-stint tyres, but the sheer versatility of the Eagle Mediums means they may choose to. We know they can: at Le Mans, many LMGT3 teams completed four stints on a single set of tyres, while LMP2 competitors achieved five stints.”
In addition to the slick tyres used in dry conditions, teams will also have access to a Goodyear Racing Eagle Wet tyre. These wet-weather tyres feature a tread pattern designed to disperse surface water and provide grip in wet conditions.
Goodyear Racing Eagle tyres are also in action this weekend across the Atlantic in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Chicagoland Speedway.
