Michelin IMSA Insider: When Performance Drivers Partnership

The smiles were a touch bigger in the Michelin camp at IMSA’s ‘State of the Sport’ address last October. It made sense. The announcement that IMSA and Michelin had agreed to a ten-year extension, keeping Michelin as the ‘Official Tire’ of the series, was about far more than racing

Eighteen manufacturers. One tire supplier. No other racing series in the world offers that kind of proving ground with so many different platforms. And Michelin understands the opportunity goes beyond racing when the manufacturers see the performance of the tire with their race cars.

“They’re extending that performance beyond the track and into their production models, carrying it into real‑world settings at their performance driving schools,” said Derek Beneteau, OE Brand Marketing at Michelin. “Then that trust at the track is what gets us into the conversation when they’re developing the next generation of vehicles.”

Lexus is a prime example. A relationship built on the track led to Michelin equipping vehicles at the Lexus Performance Driving School and from there, the conversation continued toward the production side.

It’s a pipeline Michelin has built with other manufacturers in IMSA too. The brand is now the tire partner for BMW’s Ultimate Driving Experience, M Track Days, and the Mercedes-AMG Driving Experience. Events that put Michelin tires in front of the enthusiasts and engineers who matter most.

“These aren’t just driving events, they’re showcases,” said Beneteau. “They show what our tires can do on high-performance production vehicles, in front of the people who build them and the people who buy them.”

For a brand working to grow its presence on the highest-end production vehicles in the world, another decade inside IMSA isn’t just good for racing. It’s good for business.

“What we do at the racetrack and at the driving schools strengthens relationships with our OEM partners,” Beneteau said. “Our goal is to have highest performing production vehicles rolling out of the factory on Michelin tires.”