YOKOHAMA TRIUMPHS OVER HEAVY DEMANDS OF VALENCIA


Media information, 20 May 2007


Spectacular racing in today's FIA World Touring Car Championship round at Valencia, Spain was underpinned by the crucial contribution of official tyre supplier, Yokohama ADVAN.

The tyres withstood intense racing, particularly from double race winner James Thompson who made a succession of excellent passing manoeuvres through late breaking, relying heavily on his rubber to carry him.

"In race two the grip was much less because of the high track temperatures," said Thompson, who won today's second race for N.Technology Alfa Romeo from eighth on the grid.
"We put on less camber and reduced the tyre pressure to compensate and it seemed to work.

"There's a very fine balance in setting the tyre temperatures to take all this into account, but the Yokohama technicians are professionals and the team engineers seem to have a sixth sense about these things!?"

SEAT's Yvan Muller, who finished third in race one and fourth in race two, also acknowledged the fundamental part played by Yokohama and paid tribute to the manufacturer for producing a tyre that performed so well in the heat on a circuit with high curbs and demanding corners.

"Race one was cooler, which is better for tyres, but you need to get set up beforehand,"; said the Frenchman.
"We were definitely making use of data from last year but the SEAT Leon's weight was not the same because of success ballast and the temperatures then were hotter anyway. In the end, you have to make difficult decisions on set-up but today it worked for me!?"

Yokohama has collated detailed data throughout its WTCC collaboration at each circuit and uses it to ensure the ADVAN tyre can withstand the harshest conditions.

"We knew from last year that Valencia is a demanding circuit with the high curbs and track temperatures," said Yokohama Europe Marketing Manager Kazuyoshi Sekiguchi.
"The track surface reached 43 degrees in today's second race but the lap time of Jorg Muller was only 0.35s slower on the last lap than it was on the second; that is a categorical victory for Yokohama!

"The racing we saw in today's second race was some of the best in the sport's history and it is an honour to have contributed to such a high sporting standard."