WRC ACADEMY From the 2011 WRC Championship a brand new series intended as the first step in the WRC for young drivers is being launched: the WRC Academy, conceived as the replacement of the Junior World Rally Championship. The WRC Academy is a one-make series: all drivers will be at the wheel of identical Pirelli-fitted Ford Fiesta R2s prepared by M-Sport.
Pirelli will supply asphalt and gravel specification tyres to the WRC Academy, which will be contested on both surfaces.
The WRC Academy programme includes six rallies: Rally of Portugal, Rally of Italy, Rally of Finland, Rally of Germany, Rally of France and Rally GB.
Pirelli has always been involved in promoting young drivers in all forms of motorsport and in 2008 launched the Pirelli Star Driver scheme, a global programme with the support of the FIA to promote young talents in rallying, allowing five drivers to compete in six WRC events at the wheels of a fully prepared Group N car.
Six Pirelli Star Drivers were selected in the past few months to compete in the new WRC Academy 2011 series: Fredrik Ahlin (Sweden), Craig Breen (Ireland), Jan Cerny (Czech Republic), Andrea Cugnola (Italy), Brendan Reeves (Australia) and Molly Taylor (Australia).
CALENDAR
- 1
Rally of Portugal
24-27 March 2011
- 2
Rally of Italy
5-8 May 2011
- 3
Rally of Finland
28-31 July 2011
- 4
Rally of Germany
18–21 August 2011
- 5
Rally of France
28 September–1 October 2011
- 6
Rally GB
10-13 November 2011
CITROEN RACING TROPHY From 2011 to 2013 Pirelli will be the exclusive tyre supplier to the Citroen Racing Trophy, a one-make series that this year will take place in 10 countries all over Europe: Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The Citroen Racing Trophy is open to all of Citroen’s two-wheel drive rally cars, including the C2-R2 MAX and the recently-unveiled DS3 R3.
The cars will use a selection of Pirelli’s asphalt and gravel tyres this year, which are based on a technology that is similar to that of the covers supplied to the World Rally Championship in the past three years.
Specifically, the DS3 R3 will use of a 17-inch RX and RE asphalt tyre and a 15-inch K tyre on gravel, while the R2 cars will use the same range of tyres, but the asphalt RX and RE covers will be 16-inch.
RENAULT TROPHEE Pirelli strengthens its presence in rallying also as exclusive tyre supplier of all rally series organized by Renault that will take place in several European countries from 2011 to 2013: in Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and otherm countries.
Pirelli will be involved in Renault's rally activities at a higher level too as sole supplier to its renowned European Trophy, which forms part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
These championships are open to all of Renault's two-wheel drive rally cars such as the Clio Renault Sport R3 and Twingo Renault Sport R2, as well as the new Twingo Renault Sport R1. In addition, also the new Megane Renault Sport RS N4 will be fitted with Pirelli tyres.
In 2011 the cars will use a selection of Pirelli's asphalt and gravel tyres. These tyres are based on technology similar to the covers seen on the World Rally Championship in the last three years, when Pirelli was sole tyre supplier.
All cars will use the same range of tyres: the RX for asphalt, RE for wet conditions and K for gravel. The Twingo Renault Sport R1 will use a 15-inch tyre, the Twingo Renault Sport R2 has a 16-inch tyre, and the Clio Renault Sport R3 is fitted with a 17-inch tyre.
OTHER SERIES
Pirelli is participating in over 20 rally championships world-wide. Perhaps the most important will continue to be the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, won in the last few years by Cody Crocker in his Pirelli-shod Subaru, but also the Middle East Rally Championship continues to grow in stature and competitiveness.
