One of the WTCC team mechanics preparing a Yokohama ADVAN tyre
YOKOHAMA READY FOR ADVAN CHALLENGE


Press information: 5 July 2007


Yokohama faces a new challenge this weekend when the 4.72km Portuguese Circuito de Boavista in Porto plays host to rounds 11 and 12 of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), as the Japanese tyre manufacturer has no data relating to the circuit. Much of the track has been resurfaced, covering the cobble stones and tram rails that featured in the original layout, and the first impressions are that the new surface will provide a lot of grip.
　
Teams have been given an extra test session on Friday which will help Yokohama's engineers to gauge tyre wear for Sunday's two 11 lap races. Yokohama's Europe Motorsport Manager Matthijs Mathlener commented: "If the surface of the circuit is more abrasive it's good for the compound but it's more severe for the structure of the tyre. If the circuit is severe for the construction, the tyre could become weaker after a number of laps and lap times increase.
　
"The modern track is far shorter than the original layout which hosted the Portuguese Formula One Grand Prix in 1958 and 1960, but retains its high speed nature and the Yokohama ADVAN tyres will face a tough test on what remains a challenging circuit.
　
"The surface makes a big difference to the performance of the car," says Ian Beveridge, Yokohama Technical Consultant. "We measure the grip levels in basic terms, namely the average friction at each circuit. We measure the distance it takes to erode 3mm; Brno is the worst and Monza is the best. It takes two-and-a-half times longer to erode 3mm at Monza than it does at Brno."
　
Our job is to make sure the tyre is sufficiently robust to do the job. It has to do the minimum race distance but if the wear is too high it may not last the qualifying and race distance that it has to do for the team at the race meeting.
　
"WTCC Yokohama ADVAN tyres in the paddock "The track is very quick, there is no doubt about that," said Chevrolet driver Alain Menu, who scored a win the last time the WTCC visited a street track on the street circuit of Pau, France, in June. "It is faster than I expected it to be and at the end of the downhill pit straight is a double apex corner, like a long hairpin. It will be interesting and it will be difficult.
　
"You can feel under your shoes that there is a lot of grip and the track glints in the sunlight, like they have put glass in the concrete to improve grip. If the weather stays dry, then it will be very tough on the tyres.
　
"Yokohama also provides ADVAN tyres for the International Formula Master single-seater series which will race twice over the course of the weekend.