YRC gets Japan 'Super Formula' race tire nod

TOKYO (Oct. 29, 2015) — The sanctioning body for the Japanese Super Formula Championship Series — considered Asia's highest level road-racing series for open-wheel, single-seat formula cars — has chosen Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. as its control-tire supplier for the next several seasons.

Yokohama replaces Bridgestone Corp. as the series' sole race tire supplier; Bridgestone had the contract for the past 10 seasons. Yokohama was last involved in the series 20 years ago.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Series promoter Japan Race Promotion Inc. said its selection of Yokohama as the series' tire supplier was based both on the quality of its Advan racing tires and its “comprehensive capabilities,” including on-circuit tire-changing services and a stable production capacity for high-performance tires.

The series began in 1996 as the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon series and was relaunched in 2013 as the Japanese Championship Super Formula in recognition of the series' growing reputation around the world, especially in Asia, YRC said.

Competitors all use the same base chassis, which is supplied by Dallara Automobili S.p.A. and are powered by 2-liter turbocharged inline-4 cylinder engines either from Honda or Toyota.

The 2015 series consisted of seven races at six tracks in Japan; the 2016 season has not yet been disclosed.

This contract expands Yokohama's racing involvement in Japan, where it also supplies the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, the Super Taikyu Series, the Super-FJ and the FP-Junior category of the JAF Junior Karting Championship.

Internationally it supplies the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the FIA Formula 2 Championship, German Formula 3 Championship and the Macau Grand Prix's feature Formula 3 race.

“We are very pleased to be able to welcome the Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. as our partner and we are confident that together we can develop Super Formula to make it a more attractive and higher level competition,” JRP said.

YRC said it will supply the series with its Advan A005 for use in dry conditions and Advan A006 for wet conditions. Both tires use the company's proprietary orange oil compounding technique.

The control tire sizes will be 250/620R13 front and 360/620R13 rear, YRC said.