Goodyear tire performance impresses as its biggest ever 24 Hours of Le Mans writes the next chapter in Eagle legacy

Goodyear Eagle racing tires delivered unyielding performance day and night in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, impressing with their versatility and longevity in two highly competitive classes. With the Goodyear Eagle tires consistently capable of surpassing drivers’ maximum drive time limits, this technological innovation underlines how LMGT3 is the next chapter in Goodyear’s immense legacy in international racing. 

A dry and largely flat-out race came after some unseasonably warm temperatures earlier in race week, providing the perfect mix of conditions to prove the impressive adaptability of the Goodyear Eagle racing tires used by every car in both the LMGT3 and LMP2 classes. In all, 41 of the 62 cars on the grid raced on Goodyear Eagle in the centrepiece of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season that also brings in teams from the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and similar Asian and North American championships.

In both LMP2 and LMGT3, teams were able to use the same set of Goodyear Eagles for as many as four driving stints (the time between fuel stops), amounting to up to 44 laps or 600 km: twice the distance of a Formula 1 Grand Prix. As Le Mans regulations prohibit any driver from racing for more than 4 hours at one time, this tire longevity matches the regularity with which teams change drivers. As such the tires last as long as teams could need them to; a testament to the relentless development of Goodyear’s R&D teams who build on the brand’s unparalleled racing heritage.

At 16:00 on Sunday, Richard Lietz crossed the line to win to take his and Porsche team Manthey Racing’s second consecutive LMGT3 Le Mans win, along with teammates Riccardo Pera and Ryan Hardwick. With five manufacturers - Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, Aston Martin and Lexus - represented in the top five, the competitiveness of LMGT3 was clear to see. Inter Europol Competition held on for the LMP2 win shared between drivers Nick Yelloly, Jakub Smiechowski and Tom Dillmann.

Fans choose Goodyear Wingfoot Award winners

Fans at the track and watching at home across the world chose race winners Richard Lietz and Nick Yelloly as the winners of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award in LMGT3 and LMP2 respectively. The two drivers were recognised for their stellar performances throughout the race week and were presented with the Wingfoot trophies on the podium. 

At each race throughout the WEC and ELMS season, fans vote on Instagram to choose the Goodyear Wingfoot Award winners from a shortlist selected by a panel of experts representing Goodyear and WEC/ELMS. Previous WEC winners this year are Sean Gelael (Qatar), Valentino Rossi (Imola) and Ben Tuck (Spa). 

Mike McGregor, Head of Sales, Endurance Racing EMEA, Goodyear: “A year ago, watching the LMGT3 cars race around Le Mans for the first time was a special moment. This year, with the class even stronger and the competition even fiercer, the whole Goodyear team is even prouder to be the official tire partner to the category and write the next chapter in our Eagle legacy. Congratulations to Manthey 1ST Phorm and Inter Europol Competition for their impressive victories. We are particularly pleased with the longevity of our Eagle Medium slick tires, which multiple teams showed were able to complete as many as four stints before being changed, matching our targets and expectations. In fact, with tire longevity meeting the maximum drive time requirement, Goodyear tire technology is outpacing human driving limits!”

A record-breaking operation for Goodyear’s biggest Le Mans

Supplying all 24 LMGT3 and 17 LMP2 cars required Goodyear’s largest ever Le Mans operation. In total, 100 staff members - including tire fitters, track support engineers dedicated to each team, admin and marketing staff - kept the operation running smoothly. Goodyear brought 8,000 tires to the track, although numbers and footprint are kept to a minimum by only bringing one specification of slick and one rain tire for each class.

The iconic Goodyear Blimp flew over the Circuit de la Sarthe throughout the weekend as part of its 100th anniversary tour. A packed schedule of passenger flights throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday gave invited guests, media and partners the chance to see the track from a truly special viewpoint. 

Goodyear’s representation at the track also included its popular booth in the fanzone, where thousands of fans were able to play for prizes, get race-ready with merchandise and learn more about how Goodyear’s racing activity helps develop its comprehensive range of passenger car tires. 

Luca Andreoni, Senior Manager Marketing Communications Strategy, Goodyear, adds: “Off the track as well as on it we helped put on a show for the fans. Between our Goodyear booth in the fan zone and the Goodyear Blimp in the skies, Le Mans was the perfect opportunity to celebrate two important milestones: 100 years of the Goodyear Blimp and 45 years of our Eagle performance brand. 

“We’re now focused on the remainder of the WEC and ELMS seasons, where our dozens of supported LMGT3 and LMP2 teams will fight for championship titles.”

The WEC season resumes on 13 July with the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, while ELMS is back in action a week earlier with the 4 Hours of Imola on 6 July.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 68,000 people and manufactures its products in 53 facilities in 20 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate