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Dunlop 'goes soft' on the BTCC

By MJP Media | 2 January 2013

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has introduced significant changes to its tyre regulations for 2013 with the introduction of a new 'soft compound' tyre from Dunlop.

Dunlop tyres and logos on Dave Newsham's 2012 Vauxhall Vectra
Dunlop tyres and logos on Dave Newsham's 2012 Vauxhall Vectra

At nine of the ten meetings (the exception being Thruxton), drivers of the latest NGTC specification cars will have one set of new 'soft compound' Dunlop tyres at their disposal. These tyres, which will offer superior performance over the standard compound tyre, must be used in one of the three races at each event and drivers must nominate, prior to Saturday's qualifying session, which particular race they will to use them in. They cannot be used for qualifying.

The new soft compound tyres will have a special marking to make them easily identifiable for rivals as well as trackside spectators and TV audiences, however other teams and drivers won't know in which race their competitors have chosen to use them until the cars go to the grid.

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in action
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in action

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow commented: "This set of softer compound tyres is part of each driver's normal 16 per-meeting Dunlop tyre allocation, so there is no increase in the amount of tyres used. The real twist is that prior to qualifying they must nominate the actual race in which they are going to use them the next day - in that way they won't be able to use them to merely make up for a poor qualifying or race performance, for example."

If the race in which the driver has elected to use the 'softs' is declared wet, they must use them in the next available dry race on that same day. There is no carry-over or accumulation to the next meeting if they are not used; it is strictly limited to one set of soft compound tyres per car for one race per race weekend.

Dunlop have been BTCC title sponsors since 2010
Dunlop have been BTCC title sponsors since 2010

Also from 2013, cars may only use a full matching set of tyres when on track and will not be permitted to run a combination of slick and wet tyres.

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