WEC | Michelin: finally colored shoulders for the compounds

Michelin has chosen to introduce shoulder coloring for the tires used by the Hypercar Class prototypes in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship.

Starting from the 2024 season, the French tire manufacturer has (finally, it must be said) made the three compounds that are mounted on the LMH and LMDh of the main category of the series a little more easily recognisable.

Until last year, each type of tire could be identified by a different colored sticker, which was often difficult to identify for workers, who were often helped by the teams who communicated the type through official communications.

From this season there will be a wider stripe on the Pilot Sport slicks: white will indicate the softest compound, yellow the medium and red the hardest, the latter two supplied for the 1812 Km of Qatar which will take place on Saturday 2 March. Finally, light blue is the color chosen for the rain tires, as explained in the official note.

White (soft compound): “White symbolizes the cold, wintry climate and this compound, the softest in the range, is best suited to the coldest conditions.”

Yellow (medium compound): “The choice of yellow for the medium compound is indicative of the wide temperature window that this compound covers.”

Red (hard compound): “Red is easily associated with heat. When the track temperature is high, the most appropriate compound to use is the harder one.”

Blue (rain tire): “Blue is a color commonly associated with water. It was also chosen for the wet tires used by GT3 cars.”

“We have opted for colors that are the opposite of those we see in other championships, particularly in Formula 1, basing the choice on the respective operating windows of our tires rather than on the hardness of their compound,” said Pierre Alves, responsible by Michelin for Endurance racing.

“At every race, our teams will benefit from the support and expert guidance of our dedicated technical advisors. Our endurance range was developed long before the 2024 calendar took shape, and several unknowns still remain.”

“For some circuits we do not have tire data, so our partners will need our input. That said, on circuits where we have never raced, we have at least conducted simulations.”

“Using the information gathered during testing, our engineers will be able to identify the optimal windows for each tyre, in order to respond to the specific needs of the track surface, the cars and the prevailing weather conditions.”

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“An exceptional year of endurance racing awaits Michelin, with no fewer than nine prestigious car manufacturers involved in the Hypercar Class, the most important in the sport! 19 Michelin-equipped prototypes will participate in the opening of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship in Qatar, and 23 they are expected for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June”, explains the official note from the transalpine manufacturer.

“The announcement by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile of the creation of a new Hypercar Class in endurance racing dates back to 2018, when Michelin was appointed exclusive supplier of tires for the cars” .

“After 10 months of computer-aided design and simulator work, the first Michelin Pilot Sport for these sophisticated prototypes took their first track lap in March 2021, just weeks before their first race appearance in the FIA ​​WEC at Spa -Francorchamps, Belgium”.

“Throughout 2022 and 2023, Peugeot, Porsche, Cadillac and Ferrari joined Toyota in the new category, while Michelin continued to develop its range, adding alternative sizes and a new rain tire containing a higher percentage of materials sustainable without any detriment to performance.”

“This year marks the dawn of what promises to be a new golden era for endurance racing, with the entry of four more manufacturers into the Hypercar category: BMW, Lamborghini, Alpine and Isotta Fraschini.”

“The 72 hours of racing of the season will begin with the 1812 Km of Qatar on March 2 and will end exactly eight months later in Bahrain on November 2, with Le Mans once again the star of the season on June 15-16.”

“Michelin is therefore looking forward to an exceptional season in collaboration with its nine partners, and at the same time is preparing for 2025 by working on the longevity and consistency of its Pilot Sport slick tires and rain tires which contain at least 50% raw materials renewable/recycled raw materials”.

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We remind you that for each event each Hypercar/LMDh will have 12 tires available for Free Practice, 4 soft compound tires for the Hyperpole (with the exception of Qatar where they will not be available) and the following numbers for Qualifying+Race: 18 for the 6 Hours, 26 for the 8 Hours, 32 for the 10 Hours (in this case the 1812 Km which takes place in Lusail).

For the 24h of Le Mans, 24 tires will be available to be fitted between Free Practice and Qualifying, 8 for the Hyperpole and 56 for the race. There are no limitations however when it comes to rain tyres.

The regulation drawn up by FIA WEC and ACO states the following:

The maximum number of dry tires that can be used during a race is defined as follows:
– For free practice sessions, from the start of the practice sessions.
– For the qualifying session and the race, from the start of the qualifying session.
– For the Hyperpole, from the beginning of the session.
– To move from the pit lane to the starting grid before the start of the race, the tires used can be dry or wet.
dry or wet tires and will not be counted in the assignment.

Wet tires

The number of wet tires that can be used during a race is not limited. During practice and the race, wet tires can only be used when the track has been declared wet by the Race Director.

For the Hypercar category

– For 29/34 tyres: a random draw will be carried out for each race and the tires will be randomly reallocated to each competitor by the Technical Delegates. These tires must be used in the “Qualifying + Race” assignment. The details will be
will be defined by the WEC Committee.
– For 31/31 tyres: a tire collection and reintroduction mechanism will be defined by the WEC Committee
– The WEC Committee may modify the random allocation mechanism for the collection and reintroduction of tires at any time of the season.

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This year too, including the Circuit de la Sarthe event which was an exception in 2023, it will not be possible to use tire pre-heating systems, therefore tyrewarmers or so-called 'ovens' or 'warmers'.

Only the Technical Delegates and their assistants are responsible for determining a violation of the following.
– Any chemical and/or mechanical treatment is prohibited, with the exception of the removal of debris collected on the track.
– The use of a warm-up tool to remove debris or clean wheels will be permitted, except for time slots starting two hours before a session until the end of the session.
– The tread and profile of the tires must not be modified or cut.
– Any process that involves a direct or indirect attempt to change the temperature of a tire (relative to ambient temperature) is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: heating the suspension components, wheel hubs and braking system. Changing the filling medium, water heating system/element when washing the wheels.
– The use of any thermal or heat retention devices, as well as chemical treatment or the use of chemical components for tires, rims and wheels are prohibited. Competitors are prohibited from using any of the above methods for the duration of the competition.

The tyres, wheels and rims must remain completely visible, without any
obstruction, for the entire duration of the competition. They must be in the outdoor area located immediately at the rear of the garage. garage. They must be visible to the match officials at all times during the match, within the times defined in article 4.4.2.

In any case, the instructions of the match officials must be respected. The use of storage tents in designated areas is permitted only if they are always ventilated with ambient air and accessible. Further restrictions may be applied for qualifying tires by the Technical Delegates.