Goodyear supplier for new ERA Championship race series

ZOLDER, Belgium — The organizers of a new racing series for electric-powered single-seat, open-wheel racers have tapped Goodyear as the series' designated tire supplier.

The new series, dubbed ERA Championship, will operate as a support series to the Goodyear-supported FIA ETCR - eTouring Car World Cup, Goodyear said.

The inaugural ERA Series will comprise 10 Mitsu-Bachi F110e single-seaters, series organizer Driving Force said.

Based on the Dome F110 Formula 4 chassis, the ERA electric racers are fitted with a 24 kWh battery, capable of generating 130 kW (175 hp), which should yield a top speed of 130 mph.

Goodyear has agreed to provide one slick and one treaded wet specification tire to the entire ERA Championship field. Its racing tire for the ERA Championship is "EV ready," featuring technologies to meet the demands of electric vehicles, such as their instant torque, Goodyear said.

As the series' official tire partner, Goodyear will bring its experience from a host of other racing arenas to the ERA Championship, supporting the series' ambition to promote the talent of tomorrow by sharing the same technical expertise as it brings to FIA ETCR, which starts its second season May 21-22 in Turkey on Beyoglu Street Circuit in Istanbul.

"By sharing tire transportation and facilities on site, we can make meaningful steps towards creating more sustainable racing events," Dieter Vanswigenhoven, technical and business director for the ERA Championship, said.

Ben Crawley, director motorsport EMEA, Goodyear, said this partnership strengthens Goodyear's commitment to electric motorsport and is a valuable addition to the firm's role as a founding partner to FIA ETCR.

"We're excited to embark on this journey with ERA Championship and support their ambition to find and promote young talent in the world of electric racing," he said.

The partners at this time did not disclose size specs for the tires.

Goodyear was named that ETCR series spec tire supplier in early 2020. That year, Goodyear developed a treaded version of its Eagle F1 SuperSport design for the ETCR that was used in 2021.

The ETCR series features small touring cars that use a standard electric motor/battery combination — rated at 500 kW (670 hp) — connected to a rear-wheel-drive chassis layout. Among the car brands that competed in the series' inaugural season were Alfa Romeo, Cupra and Hyundai.

The ERA Championship teams will run five race weekends. In addition to the Turkish race, the series will series will support FIA ETCR racing weekends at the Hungaroring, Hungary; Jarama, Spain; Zolder, Belgium; and Vallelunga, Italy, throughout June and July.