Dunlop has been chosen by a very diverse range of top teams at the Nürburgring 24h Race. Dunlop enters the 44th edition of the most gruelling race in the world aiming to build on its long record of success at the longest and most demanding racetrack of the world. Dunlop have 17 overall victories in the German marathon and started 2016 in strong style.
“With two wins in the first two VLN races of the year, the start into the Nordschleife season was really successful,” says Alexander Kühn of Dunlop Motorsport. „Now we are well prepared for the race of the year. But the battle for the overall win will be extremely close this year. The Dunlop teams have strong chances of making it to the podium – and even more so as it’s a well-known fact that the 24h race is a law unto itself.” The Dunlop involvement in the GT3 category once again is broad, with the manufacturer supplying tyres for a diverse range of cars. In addition to Aston Martin switching to Dunlop to grip their V12 Vantage GT3, other sports cars such as the Audi R8 LMS, the new BMW M6 GT3 and the BMW Z4 GT3 as well as the spectacular Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus sports prototypes also will contest the race on Dunlops.
Two Phoenix Racing Audi wins in the 24h-race build-up
Phoenix Racing travel to the 24h race with two VLN wins on their tally. Germany’s Frank Stippler and Denmark’s Anders Fjordbach won the races in emphatic style, with their Dunlop shod Audi R8 LMS and consequently are among the favourites on this year’s 24h-race grid. “Dunlop is new tyre partner for us, this year, and the tyres worked really well on the Nordschleife right from the start,” says Phoenix driver Frank Stippler. “I was virtually over the moon, regarding the tyres and I hope we will be able to tie in with this performance in the 24h race. After all, the competition will be tough and I expect an unrelenting battle for the race win.” Furthermore, the Car Collection Motorsport Audi R8 LMS #33 also will race on Dunlops.
Dunlop technology partner of Aston Martin
Aston Martin Racing’s goal is a top result in the endurance classic. The Britons travel to the Eifel with two Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 vehicles. In the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Dunlop is technology partner of the British works squad. And this technology partnership also comprises the 24h race. “The cooperation with the Dunlop engineers is really open,” says works driver Nicki Thiim (Denmark). “And I already know some of the guys who will be working here at the Nordschleife from the WEC. We are a kind of a small family. In 2013 I won the 24h race with Dunlop and I’d love to now also make it to the top step with Aston Martin.” Thiim will alternate at the wheel of car #7 with fellow FIA WEC drivers Darren Turner (UK), Marco Sorensen (Denmark) and Pedro Lamy (Portugal). The sister car, #27, will be raced by Jonny Adam (UK), Fernando Rees (Brazil), Mathias Lauda (Austria) and Richie Stanaway (New Zealand).
New tyre concept for the BMW M6 GT3
Walkenhorst Motorsport powered by Dunlop enters two of the new BMW M6 GT3. “With the Dunlop Art Car and its highly competitive driver line-up we want to make it to the top three and with the other car to the top 10,” reveals Team Principal Henry Walkenhorst (Germany) who also will contest the race in the team’s sister BMW Z4 GT3. The spectacular design in the Dunlop colours black and yellow of the M6 #999 was designed and created by TV presenter and tuning expert Jean Pierre Krämer. “But the combination BMW M6 GT3 and Dunlop does not only work when it comes to the look,” adds Walkenhorst. “We created a concept for the M6 that works really well.” While the Z4 GT3 was driven with mixed tyres, the M6 GT3 is shod with similarly dimensioned tyres on the front and the rear. “The car features a really good balance. The good testing work with Dunlop in the run-up to the season paid off,” says fellow German, Christian Krognes, who made it to the podium of the third VLN round, with his team-mates. “We have a good initial position for the 24h race.” Furthermore, being technology partner of BMW Motorsport, Dunlop also supplies the tyres for all the BMW M235i Racing Cup vehicles. With more than a dozen cars, this series will be the makes cup with the biggest number of competitors on the 24h-race grid.
Glickenhaus sports prototypes want to make it to the top
Dunlop also supplies the tyres for the spectacular Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus racing cars. The team built up by the American James Glickenhaus enters two individual SCG003C sports cars as well as the P4/5 Competizione. The racing cars that resemble a Le Mans prototype both visually and technically are among the most popular cars at the Nordschleife and have got the potential for securing a top result.
In addition, the class AT (alternative fuels) also features two Dunlop teams: Dunlop supports the appearance of the team ‘Care for Climate’: Smudo, lyricist and rapper of the German HipHop band ‘Die Fantastischen Vier’, and his team-mates will race a Cayman GT4. And the Audi A4 quattro of the ‘Tuning Akademie’, last year’s winner in the FIA Alternative Energies Cup, also is shod with Dunlops. And, to complete the Dunlop list of potential class winners, the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR #204 and the two Ring Racing Lexus ISF CCS-R #53 and #54.