DMACK Tyres happy with performance in Rally Finland

RSL Staff

– July 31, 2011Posted in: News, PWRC

The flat out Finnish forests are famed throughout the rallying world for providing one of the biggest challenges in the FIA World Rally Championship season and this weekend’s Neste Oil Rally Finland certainly lived up to that reputation.

While the DMACK DMG2 gravel tyre coped extremely well with the demanding conditions, DMACK shod competitors struggled to master Finland’s famous blind crests and high-speed, rollercoaster, gravel roads.

DMACK supplied crews with its medium hardness G4 compound and the tyre was more than a match for the mixed conditions. The timed special stages were run over a mix of wide, hard-packed roads and narrow lanes with a soft, sandy base.

The DMG2’s design delivered good traction along with impressive durability and tyre wear – providing competitors with all-round performance and confidence on the fast roads.

The compact event kicked off from its Jyvaskyla base on Thursday evening by challenging competitors to an opening loop of three tests. DMACK crews rose to the challenge with Czech driver Martin Semerad, who was top of the Production WRC standings coming into this rally, finishing sixth in the category on the opening test.

Local PWRC wildcard entrant Riku Tahko was extremely positive regarding his first outing on DMACK rubber and went one better to post fifth fastest on stage one and fourth on the 11.79km second test through Laukaa.

But both front-running PWRC crews succumbed to the challenge on the first stage on Friday morning, retiring in spectacular fashion. The Hassi test’s opening section of wide, fast road caught out both Semerad and Tahko – the extensive damage from high-speed accidents forced them into immediate retirement.

However, DMACK’s other crews continued to demonstrate the tyres’ potential throughout the 22 stage event as the DMG2’s performance and durability was highlighted over the two days.

The next round of the series at Rally Deutschland on 18 August will see DMACK nominate its DMT asphalt tyre for the first time this year.

Dick Cormack, DMACK Tyres motorsport director, said: “We were very happy with the performance of our tyres during the rally and had absolutely no problems with tyre wear even on the second pass when the roads were rutted. Rally Finland is a classic and unique event, and for DMACK to come here for the first time and put up such a positive display is extremely encouraging.”