Tyre manufacturer Goodyear has said that it anticipates this weekend’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to be the quickest in recent history.
With the 88th running of the race taking place significantly later than usual, temperatures at the Circuit de la Sarthe will be lower than it would have been in June.
According to Mike McGregor, endurance programme manager at Goodyear, the lower temperatures in combination with advances in tyre technology could see a record number of laps completed over 24 hours.
“The ambient and track temperatures should be significantly lower than in June,” McGregor said. “Cooler air will mean more efficiency from reducing aerodynamic drag and improved engine performance.
“On the tyre front, we’ve seen a step forward in pace this season with the new Goodyear range compared to lap times in previous years.
“Combine these factors together and we have the recipe for a record-breaking Le Mans.”
The American manufacturer is supplying tyres to five LMP2 entries, while the remaining cars on the grid are running Michelin rubber.
“Our objective is to provide enduring performance for our teams, limit the number of tyre changes and retain peak performance in the last stint when fuel levels are low,” McGregor added. “At Le Mans we change tyres after the equivalent of more than two Formula 1 race distances.
At that point, when the car is on a light fuel load the driver needs maximum performance. At Spa, the Goodyear equipped cars were the fastest on track at this stage of the race.”
