RACE PEOPLE INTERVIEW
Seishi Ikeki
that have relevance to our road car tyre development. Tyre longevity and consistency are attributes that are relevant to success in endurance racing and the road tyres we sell.
All our race tyres are made in Japan at our factory in Nagoya.
Q Q
Q Q
When did Falken Tyres first enter motorsport in Europe?
Falken started its motorsport activities in 1999 by taking part in the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring.
What other series are you currently supplying tyres to
around the world? Our tyres are used in both the American Le Mans Series [GT2] and the VLN Series [an endurance series based at the Nürburgring] and the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring. Our road tyres are also used in competition, including Pikes Peak with ‘Monster’ Tajima and a number of drifting competitors use our flagship FK452 performance road tyre.
Q
Why is motorsport so important to Falken?
Motorsport is very important because it allows our engineers to gain experience and knowledge under extreme conditions that can be used and adapted for series production. Furthermore, motorsport offers us the unique chance to use cars and equipment that demonstrates the maximum performance of what is technically possible with Falken technology, way beyond the levels experienced on the road. The series we are involved in are chosen because they provide the best arena to develop technologies
You have entered the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race for
many years. What tyre development benefits to you gain from the event? The Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is unique. This racetrack offers every conceivable challenge: jumps; sharp curves; long straights; undulations; surface changes and curvy sections. That means tyres which are used on the Nürburgring are exposed to a constantly changing set of extreme conditions. It’s this set of conditions that provides our engineers with a proving ground to test compounds, different constructions and acquire the data. The track is favoured by car manufacturers who buy our tyres for their road cars. If we can show success at a place that they fully understand, it helps to present how good our tyres and engineers are.
Q
What specific challenges are there at the ’Ring?
Seishi Ikeki, race engineer, Falken Tyres
Seishi Ikeki has been involved in motorsport tyres since 1988, when he was a rally tyre engineer, and has been with Falken / Dunlop since 2003. Since 2005 he’s been the race tyre engineer for Falken. Ikeki has been involved with the company’s activities at the Nürburgring since 2001 – where it runs its own team at the 24 Hours – and has designed the tyres for the racecars since 2006.
The circuit is technically challenging and the surface changes considerably over the lap. Our European engineers have analysed the surface texture and composition over the lap length using a range of methods. This data has been sent to the race engineers in Japan to help us optimise the tyres we use for this track. We need a tyre that is super consistent. The drivers are in for longer stints and need predictability and [tyres that are] user friendly. The fact that we run for 24 hours means we need softer compounds for the night time running. We also need good inters and wets because the weather is so changeable.
Where do you make your race tyres?
RACE MOVES
Former Ferrari technical director, Aldo Costa, who relinquished his position with the race team in May, has now left the company altogether. Costa was originally planning to take an alternative position within Ferrari, but has now decided to leave. He will be on gardening leave until the end of the year.
Red Bull Racing technical director, Adrian Newey, has been presented with the MIA award for the Most Outstanding Personal Contribution to the Motorsport Industry. Newey joins an impressive list of previous MIA award winners, which includes Harvey Postlethwaite, Ross Brawn and Frank Williams.
Luis Perez Sala, who drove for Minardi in F1 in 1988 and 1989, has been appointed as
to Jim O’Connell, the Stock Car governing body’s chief sales officer. From 2005 until 2009 Downes was NASCAR director of partnership marketing and was once vice president of corporate hospitality at Madison Square Garden.
James Allison, the technical director at Renault, has been named as the new head of the Formula One Teams’ Association’s
James Allison
Technical Regulations Working Group. He takes the place of former Ferrari technical director, Aldo Costa, who no longer works in Formula 1.
Luis Perez Sala
an advisor to Thesan Capital, the Spanish investment company that has recently acquired the HRT Formula 1 team.
Sean Downes has taken on the role of managing director, business development, at NASCAR. He is based in the New York office and will report
George Lendrum has been appointed managing director of RML Group Ltd. Lendrum has had a 20-year career in the motorsport industry and was instrumental in the rapid growth of Cambridge-based Pi Research. He has also served on the Motorsport Industry Association Committee for the last 10 years.
Lisa Brown has left her position as CEO at Richard Petty Motorsports to become adviser to Andrew Murstein, president
September 2011 •
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