Tyre manufacturers in agreement over rally tread patterns ….
Three leading tyre manufacturers have voluntarily agreed not to propose certain tread patterns for forest rally use after they were deemed too ‘aggressive’ during a recent meeting of the Stage Rally Tyre Working Group at the Motor Sports Association’s offices in Colnbrook.
DMACK, Dunlop and Yokohama each submitted a provisional list of future gravel rally tyres, but removed their respective Mud, DZ74R and A031 tyres following discussion. Hankook and Michelin were also present, while Khumo and Pirelli were unable to attend.
It was confirmed that a Forest/Gravel Rally Tyre List of acceptable tyres for UK stage rallying will be issued for guidance in the 2014 MSA Yearbook and enforced from 2015. The manufacturers also agreed the template for a document detailing such tyres, which will help event scrutineers to check eligibility.
Mike Broad, Stage Rally Tyre Working Group chairman, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in these meetings for the constructive discussions that are helping us to make progress. The manufacturers understand that we are working to secure the future of rallying and appreciate that this entails reducing the impact of tyres on the forest environment.
“Competitors can rest assured that we are not going to be taking away any major tyres at short notice. They should check that any tyres they have in storage comply with the guidance that will be issued in the 2014 MSA Yearbook, and if not they have until the end of 2014 to use them.”