BFGoodrich Tires is set to return to the 2017 Dakar Rally as the official tire supplier of the event.
When the Dakar Rally kicks off in Asunción, Paraguay in January, BFGoodrich Tires will be back on competitors’ vehicles on a large scale for the first time since 2012. In addition, BFGoodrich will roll out its ‘Dakar Service Center’, through which competitors will benefit from 24/7 technical expertise. BFGoodrich states that the 5,000 mile mixed terrain event is ‘exactly the sort of proving ground’ that it seeks.
“BFGoodrich has a long-tenured racing heritage and we’re excited to continue our global involvement in racing in the dirt with our official return to the Dakar Rally,” said Michelin and BFGoodrich motorsport director, Pascal Couasnon. “Cross-country rally racing is a distinct challenge and this race features some of the most complex terrains on the planet. As with other forms of racing where BFGoodrich competes, our commitment stays the same in this discipline. We continue to use all the technical information we learn in racing laboratories around the world to develop new technology and constantly improve our products while taking on the toughest conditions on Earth.”
The tires set to be used for the 2017 Dakar Rally will include products raced and tested across the globe:
BFGoodrich All-Terrain KDR2 (above): A uniquely constructed race tire specifically created for crosscountry rally racing. Sharing similar characteristics with the BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2, this tire is designed to be lighter and sports a new tread pattern. The tire is tuned for the increased handling demands of lighter-weight vehicles. It is designed specifically for the championshipwinning Peugeot 2008 motorsports effort and the Toyota Gazoo Racing team in Dakar.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain KDR: Similar to the KDR2, this tire delivers grip on all types of terrain, along with driving comfort and greater braking stability. The tire is designed to withstand the extra sidewall abuse found specifically with four-wheel-drive vehicles such as those raced by the Toyota/Overdrive, Mini X-Raid and Mini ALL4 teams.
BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR2: The tire that has dominated Baja deserts also helps racers in the two-wheel-drive buggies at Dakar. Its tread is designed to deliver maximum traction on soft ground, extreme protection against sidewall damage and balanced braking and cornering performance.
The company will equip roughly 300 vehicles competing in Dakar with race tires designed and constructed to withstand the punishment of the terrain. This technology is then transferred to the brand’s consumer tires, which share similar compounds and casings with its competition tires.
With the first class victory in the Paris Dakar in 1993, BFGoodrich followed with a dozen overall Dakar victories, including 10 straight wins from 2002 to 2012.
