ausauto News Article

Michelin steps up its 'green' approach to Le Mans

In addition to seeing Michelin target a 13th consecutive success on the event, this year's Le Mans 24 Hours race (12-13 June) will mark a new step in the firm's commitment to protecting the environment. Michelin's participation in the 78th running of the world's most famous endurance race will feature an all-new range of eco-friendly tyres.

In addition, Michelin will organise, for the second time, the "Michelin Green X Challenge" which has now become an integral part of the regulations that govern the discipline.

The Le Mans 24 Hours represents a major tour de force for tyres that must be capable of covering distances of up to 700km and beyond at average speeds in excess of 200kph. 

To meet this unique challenge, Michelin's chemists and engineers have developed a new range of eco-friendly aromatic oil-free tyres that they claim is a first in endurance racing.

The new Michelin tyres are said to be a ‘genuine technological advance' in that they simultaneously push out the envelope in three performance areas by maximising dry and wet weather grip and going a greater distance on less fuel. 

"The Michelin Green X Challenge is a further illustration of Michelin's commitment to promote motor sport that is respectful of the environment," said a company spokesperson. 

"For the second year running, Michelin will be rewarding the most energy-efficient performances based on an Energy Efficiency Index, calculated by comparing performance with fuel consumption, not only at Le Mans, but also at every round of the American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series".

The past two decades have seen Michelin emerge as endurance racing's most successful tyre manufacturer, thanks to a tally of more than 100 wins in the ALMS, six LMS titles and 12 consecutive victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

At this year's running of the great endurance classic, where a crowd of more than 200,000 spectators is expected, Michelin will be looking to claim its 19th outright win in the race and its 13th on the trot and also defend the wins it secured in all four categories in 2009, while at the same time pursuing its active approach to protecting the environment.