Michelin heads to the Sebring "laboratory"

Michelin and its technical partner teams face a major early season challenge as they take to the demanding 3.74-mile Sebring International Raceway in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the second event of the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
“Sebring has a great tradition and a distinct character that presents a wide range of technical challenges,” said Chris Baker, director of motorsports for Michelin North America. “This is a great race and a great testing laboratory. Virtually our entire portfolio of MICHELIN Pilot ultra-high performance tires can trace its technical heritage to innovations and insights gained through open competition in endurance racing at tracks like Sebring and Le Mans.”
 
“This is a high commitment circuit, very fast, bumpy and with a relentlessly pounding pace,” said Baker. “The combination of a long straightaway and high- and mid-speed corners puts a big priority on having a car remain stable and efficient under braking, precise at turn in and over the bumps while being able to deliver consistency lap after lap as the drivers work through traffic and the changing track conditions,” said Baker.
 
“Our Michelin Bridge after Turn 17 is a great reminder of how we link our race tire technology in the Sebring pits to our tire technology in the paddock at the BMW, Corvette, Ferrari and Porsche car corrals, and to consumers on the street,” said Baker.
 
Michelin and its technical partner teams from Aston Martin Racing, BMW Team RLL, Porsche North America, Risi Competizione Ferrari and the recent Rolex 24 At Daytona winning Corvette Racing team all have the benefit of thousands of miles of history and data as they prepare for the 63rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Saturday, March 21 at the former airfield.