Michelin IMSA Insider: A Global, Busy Weekend

Michelin Racing Weekend Includes Detroit, Baja, Le Mans, Indonesia, and Spain.

Michelin Motorsports will kick-off an extraordinary week in global competition as the IMSA field takes on the Belle Isle Street Course for the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic.

A Global View

This weekend, in addition to the 100-minute WeatherTech Championship race in Detroit, Michelin will be racing in FIM Moto GP at Barcelona, Spain, in France for Sunday’s FIA World Endurance Championship test day at Le Mans, in Jakarta, Indonesia with FIA Formula E, and with its BFGoodrich tires brand in the SCORE Baja 500 in Mexico.

The array of internal combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles, ranging from the prototype and GTs in Detroit and Le Mans to the exotic motorcycles in Spain, the electric formula cars in Indonesia, and the trophy trucks, 4-wheelers, and motorcycles in the Mexican desert reflects the global appeal and diversity of motorsports with the unmatched technical opportunities taken on by Michelin.

Many Laboratories

“We say that the track is our laboratory, but people may not realize just how many Michelin racing “laboratories” we have, “ said Tony Ménard, director of motorsport, Michelin North America.

The incredibly diverse range of vehicles, venues, and conditions challenges Michelin to develop constructions, compounds, sizes, and tread designs to meet the demands of each discipline. It aligns with Michelin’s commitment to meet the mobility needs of the global community.

“We learn something different from each series and event, and we work very hard to transfer our findings to the end user,” said Ménard.

Endurance

IMSA and WEC are the most closely linked series for Michelin with endurance sports car racing in North America and globally. Endurance is a big part of Michelin traditions as consumers, like racers, value the long-lasting performance that Michelin delivers.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s IMSA race, nine Michelin race tire engineers and tire specialists will fly from Detroit to France for Sunday’s official test day at Le Mans, leading up to next weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

They will be joined by a pair of motorsports leaders flying from the conclusion of the Baja 500 and scores of Michelin engineers, tire specialists and support staff.