With the motorsport racing season now well underway following the opening races of 2023 in February, Dunlop Tyres South Africa has added another major motorsport championship to its South African racing family. The brand is now the official tyre partner of the DOE Formula Vee.
Part of the Regional Extreme Festival, DOE Formula Vee has been a successful South African Racing Formula since 1965, enabling drivers to compete on a national championship level.
Lubin Ozoux, CEO of Dunlop manufacturer and distributor Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, said the iconic tyre brand is delighted to be associated with the series.
“Formula Vee has consistently had the largest number of licensed competitors in South Africa for a single seater formula and makes motorsport accessible to the man on the street, which we fully support as Dunlop,” he added.
The Formula Vee racing cars are based primarily on Volkswagen components and will race on Dunlop Direzza tyres, with a field of 15 to 30 cars.
Drivers will have the support of the ATS Motorsport Dunlop Service Crew, who provide full trackside tyre service at all national and regional meetings. This support service – operated from a fully equipped Dunlop Racing mobile workshop staffed by a skilled and knowledgeable team – is free to all drivers competing on Dunlop tyres.
Ozoux said Dunlop is passionate about proving its world-class road tyre tech on the racetrack.
“Racing plays a big role in the development of Dunlop’s tyre technology for the public. We leverage the same technology, research, development and key learnings from our global motorsport heritage to influence the tyres you drive on every day. Dunlop tyres are designed with performance, safety, stability, grip and durability in mind to give drivers the confidence to take the road, or hit the track, and enjoy a racing thrill like no other. We believe in elevating the local motorsport fraternity and ensuring these talented drivers can do what they love in the safest and most exhilarating manner possible,” he said.
Dunlop’s PR & Events Manager, Joanne de Freitas, says, “Dunlop Tyres South Africa sees top local motorsport as the ideal means of showcasing our world-leading performance tyres and this increased involvement is a nod to that great success. We wish all our racing competitors across South Africa the very best on the track this year!”