After an intense period of preparation, the world’s first all-electric, multi-brand touring car series debuts this weekend at Vallelunga, Italy.
As exclusive tyre supplier and founding partner to PURE ETCR, Goodyear has been at the forefront of development for this most innovative of new motorsport championships. Goodyear joined PURE ETCR as a Founding Partner when the championship was launched in early 2020. Since then, the tyre manufacturer has worked directly with promoter Eurosport Events and teams to prepare for the inaugural season this year.
Its innovative format, with short, sharp ‘battles’ in place of traditional races, has already piqued the interest of fans around the world. This weekend’s opening round at Vallelunga starts the 2021 season, which will then visit top-tier tracks MotorLand Aragón and Hungaroring, a street circuit in Copenhagen, and finish in South Korea at Inje Speedium. The entry list includes purpose-built electric racers from CUPRA and Hyundai, as well as the Alfa Romeo Giulia-based car from Italian privateer Romeo Ferraris.
Unique cars for a unique series
The headline-grabbing figures for PURE ETCR speak for themselves. The 100% electric rear-wheel drive touring cars are not only revolutionary in their powertrain, they are also the most powerful touring cars racing today. Each produces 500 kW (670 hp) from a common electric powertrain fitted to manufacturer-specific bodywork. The result is rapid pace and instant torque, and a race format to match. Each race will be a maximum of 25 km long, with drivers lining up behind starting gates on the track. They’ll then race around short circuits in a series of battle rounds to crown the King or Queen of the weekend after the Super Final. For this most innovative of championships, Goodyear provides every car with a single specification of its Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport ETCR race tyre to be used in both wet and dry conditions. Producing a single compound of tyre helps PURE ETCR achieve its goal of minimising freight as Goodyear transports fewer tyres to each event. Sebastian Trinks, Goodyear’s Event Leader for PURE ETCR and WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, explains.
“We are fortunate to enjoy a strong relationship with Eurosport Events through our partnerships in PURE ETCR and WTCR. In terms of sustainability, we are only producing one tyre specification, so it means we produce and transport fewer tyres. We’re excited to be part of this electric journey and such an innovative way to show the potential of electric cars. The number of electric vehicles on the road is increasing every day and Goodyear produces the right tyres for these demands.”
Preparing for the weekend
Trinks explains his thoughts ahead of Vallelunga, a track that is now very familiar to teams and Goodyear alike. “The teams have done a lot of testing at Vallelunga in the last few months, including most of the recent car development. They know the circuit and layout very well. “With our treaded Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport ETCR race tyre, we have had a lot of positive feedback, especially from experienced drivers. We are really looking forward to the first race at Vallelunga and the remaining races over the coming months. The joint events with WTCR, where Goodyear is also the exclusive tyre supplier, will be particularly special, as will the Copenhagen street circuit.”
