Dunlop tests supersoft tyres at V8 Supercars' Australian round

Testing of Dunlop tyres for the V8 Supercars racing series has been completed successfully at the Queensland Raceway in Australia. Reigning V8 Supercars champion Jamie Whincup representing Red Bull Racing volunteered for the task. Four different Dunlop tyre compounds were tested on Monday including two variants of the new supersoft and two revised current tyres.

Jamie Whincup utilised Red Bull's ride car for the testing in which he completed 20 laps on each set of tyres before running multiple qualifying simulations. V8 Supercars Commission will analyse the data gained from this testing before finalising the next race season's format. Dunlop had also developed the supersoft tyres for the 2014 race season but the tyres were shelved after the Commission's decision to cut back tyre allocations for 2015.

Dunlop and V8 Supercars Commission preferred not to comment on the testing. However, Jamie Whincup said the day went smoothly. He also said, "We went round and round and got some good information which will now be filtered to the other teams and put to the Commission to see if they want to change the compounds."

He added, "We feel like we are doing a good thing for the category and if we can find something better (than the current tyres) then happy days. Apart from lack of tyres, I do not disagree with what we have got but I am all for trying to find something better. I do not think we are trying to fix an issue. We are just trying to get to a better place."

In the afternoon, along with tyre testing, Jamie also completed 60km on the new chassis.

This is Dunlop’s 14th consecutive year supplying tyres to V8 Supercars. The company won its fourth control tyre contract in succession and its current contract will last from 2013 to 2017.