• Login
  • Register
Speedcafe.com
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODS
  • PHOTOS
  • RESULTS
  • NETWORK 100
No Result
View All Result
  • SUPERCARS
  • F1
  • MOTOGP
  • NASCAR
  • INDYCAR
  • GT & ENDURANCE
  • KARTING
  • RALLY
  • SPEEDWAY
  • JOBS
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODS
  • PHOTOS
  • RESULTS
  • NETWORK 100
No Result
View All Result
  • Feed
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Photos
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
Speedcafe.com
  • Supercars
  • F1
  • NASCAR
  • IndyCar
  • GT & Endurance
  • Karting
  • Bikes
  • Rally
  • Speedway
Home Supercars

Dunlop begins work on Supercars tyre solution

Tom Howard
Tom Howard
24 Apr 2017
Tom Howard
//
24 Apr 2017
// Supercars, Featured
A A
0
Dunlop begins work on Supercars tyre solution

Dunlop has identified the cause of its tyre issues at Phillip Island

Dunlop will begin work on a solution to avoid a repeat of the failures seen at the WD-40 Phillip Island 500 today having identified the cause of the series of tyre blowouts.

Representatives from Dunlop Australia will contact the tyre firm’s headquarters to evaluate the new-for-2017 constructed soft compound control rubber.

Tyres emerged as a key talking point following a series of failures in both Supercars races at the demanding Phillip Island circuit.

Higher speeds from the new tyres produced record lap times and extra stress on the rubber.

An investigation was launched after 18 separate issues in Race 5 which resulted in Supercars increasing the minimum tyre pressures and issuing a recommended camber setting.

Advertisements

Aggressive set-ups, outside of Dunlop’s preferred parameters, used by teams contributed to the problem.

The special measures put in place limited the failures to five in Sunday’s 250km race.

Following extensive analysis at the Victorian circuit Dunlop Australia boss Kevin Fitzsimons says the firm can evaluate different materials to improve the tyres.

The soft tyres will return to action at October’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

“We’ve got a very good handle on where in the tyre the failure occurs, high in the sidewall and we can evaluate ways and means of strengthening the tyre, so we’ll just nut our way through it and go from there,” Fitzsimons told Speedcafe.com.

“I’ll be onto the factory first thing on Monday and speak to the engineers over there and send them reams of photographs and emails and we’ll nut it out and get to the bottom of it.

“It just may be a different type of material or something that handles heat a little bit better.

“We’ve got to have a look at the data and get a handle on the heat generation and the flexibility when the tyre’s very, very hot, internally and externally.

“We will have a look and look at all sorts of components and see what we can do to make it a bit stronger for this sort of scenario here (at Phillip Island).

“It’s a challenge, it’s frustrating for the teams, it’s really frustrating for us, and it’s disappointing for the fans, but it’s one of those things, you just go do your due diligence, go through, work through it, and find a solution that works for everybody.”

Dunlop was scheduled to test its latest tyres at Phillip Island with Mark Winterbottom last year but the session was rained out.

Fitzsimons has revealed several factors made it difficult to reschedule the test.

“I’ve read a lot of the stuff on social media and everyone is saying that it should have been re-tested and that, and it’s not really that simple,” he added.

“It was a matter of when teams were available, because we were going to test with three different teams and they became unavailable due to various circumstances towards the middle of last year.

“The circuit availability, weather, the factory, or just the way the calendar is (were factors), and I think trying to find a window to yank a car out of the workshop for two days when you’ve only got two weeks to turn around is really difficult.”



Speedcafe Network 100 - logo representing the directory of leading suppliers to the motorsport industry in Australia

List your business today!

K1 RaceGear / BK Racing Performance

Motorsport Services

BK Racing Performance Products are a official distributor of K1 RaceGear for Australia. K1 produce world leading fire-resistant race wear manufactured from FIA & SFI certified material. Contact us now to find out how we...

BK Racing Performance Products are a official distributor of K1 RaceGear for Australia. K1 produce world leading fire-resistant race wear manufactured from FIA & SFI...

Discussion about this post

[postcode_search_form]

Latest from Torquecafe

New Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport revealed

29 March 2026

Is this the biggest threat to the BYD Shark 6?

28 March 2026

Latest Podcasts

PODCAST: What will the fuel crisis mean for motorsport?

27 March 2026

PODCAST: Wollongong Supercars insights + Overs and Unders

24 March 2026

Related Articles

The Oscar Targett/Shane Smollen Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG.

GT newcomer leaves door ajar for Supercars future

SRO GT
12 hours ago
SRO GT
0

PHOTOS: Supercheap Auto’s wildcard launch event

Supercars
1 day ago
Supercars
0
ADVERTISEMENT

Platinum Partners

Latest & Trending News

Kimi Antonelli took victory at the Japanese Grand Prix to take the championship lead. Image: XPB Images

Safety Car heartbreak denies Piastri as Antonelli wins Japanese GP

F1
29 March 2026
F1
0
Oscar Piastri during qualifying for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Live Updates: Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix

Live Updates
29 March 2026
Live Updates
0
The crash in the final Ferrari Challenge race at Phillip Island.

Bizarre Safety Car incident triggers airborne Ferrari crash

National
29 March 2026
National
0
Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti won the final GT World Challenge Australia race at Phillip Island while drivers came to blows behind. Image: InSyde Media

Ojeda/Lucchitti win dramatic GT finale at Phillip Island

SRO GT
29 March 2026
SRO GT
0
A Porsche jumped the fence in a massive crash at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese GP delayed by Porsche jumping fence

F1
29 March 2026
F1
0
Todd Hazelwood will race with backing from Four'N Twenty in his first Trans Am season as an owner/driver. Image: Supplied

Pie giant to back Todd Hazelwood in Trans Am

Trans Am
29 March 2026
Trans Am
0

Supercheap Auto

Pirtek Poll

POLL: Which Supercars team has the best driver line-up?

Vote View Results Past polls
Pirtek Poll
View past polls
2026 Supercars Championship WINS POLES PTS
1
Brodie Kostecki
Shell V-Power Racing Team
17 3 1 485
2
Cam Waters
Monster Castrol Racing
6 0 0 457
3
Broc Feeney
Red Bull Ampol Racing
88 3 2 442
4
Matthew Payne
Penrite Racing
19 0 0 412
5
Anton De Pasquale
DEWALT Racing
18 1 1 354
2026 Formula 1 Championship WINS POLES PTS
1
George Russell
Mercedes
63 1 1 51
2
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
12 1 2 47
3
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
16 0 0 34
4
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
44 0 0 33
5
Oliver Bearman
Haas F1 Team
87 0 0 17
ADVERTISEMENT
[instagram-feed feed=2]
Support the partners that support Speedcafe
Truck Assist R & J Batteries Pirtek Mobil Super Supercheap Auto Michelin Meguiars coates KTM FORD ACDelco parcelprotect become a partner
AASA PPQ Authentic Collectables sportsnetholidays nuevasolutions bathurst
Green and white "speedcafe." logo on a black background, conveying a racing theme.
Speedcafe.com has been established to provide a daily motorsport news service to the industry and fans in Australia and internationally.
Follow Us

Categories

SUPERCARS

F1

NASCAR

INDYCAR

GT

MOTOGP

PHOTOS

TV

PODS

Platinum Partners

TRUCK ASSIST
R&J BATTERIES
PIRTEK
MOBIL1
SUPERCHEAP AUTO

PARCEL PROTECT

MICHELIN
MEGUIARS

COATES
FORD

ACDELCO

Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily newsletter, the best way to get your news first, fast and free!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Your daily racing fix - Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily and breaking newsletter for all the latest news delivered direct to your box

SUBSCRIBE
Follow Us

Categories

SUPERCARS

F1

NASCAR

INDYCAR

GT

MOTOGP

PHOTOS

TV

PODS

Platinum Partners

TRUCK ASSIST
R&J BATTERIES
PIRTEK
MOBIL1
SUPERCHEAP AUTO

PARCEL PROTECT

MICHELIN
MEGUIARS

COATES
FORD

XPEL

ACDELCO

Green and white "speedcafe." logo on a black background, conveying a racing theme.

Copyright © 2026 Speedcafe.com. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Our Team /  Advertise with us / Comments Policy / Privacy Policy /

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Network 100

Copyright © 2025 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Network 100

Copyright © 2025 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

[mailpoet_form id=”28″]