Buriram, Thailand: Giti Tire had announced their participation as a race tire supplier for 3 classes of races at the upcoming Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy 2023 race. In the 2023 Idemitsu 600 Super Endurance race, a pivotal component of every team's success is the tire employed and the tire technology that has been incorporated. Held at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand, this race tests the limits of endurance racing over a strenuous 600 minutes, challenging not only the drivers and vehicles, but also the durability and performance of their tires. These specialized tires, designed to withstand extreme conditions and prolonged use, are crucial in navigating the demanding circuit, exemplifying the vital role that tire technology plays in the realm of high-endurance motorsport events.
On this momentous occasion, Chairman of the Executive Board of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda (a.k.a. Morizo), will be participating as a racer in this exciting race. The Toyota Motor Corporation team is living out their “carbon-neutral racing” agenda, fronting 3 vehicles for the Rookie Racing category, 2 spotting carbon neutral fuel and 1 equipped with a hydrogen-powered engine.
“It is an honour to be selected as the race tire supplier for the Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy” commented Ms Shiroo Chia, Head of International Marketing. “Motorsports remains a core interest of Giti as the extreme conditions of the races and skill of the racers allow us to gain invaluable data which is then used to improve the products we bring to the market.”
“The team at Giti are dedicated to seeing success for the drivers at the Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy 2023” commented Mr. Ge Feng Lei, General Manager (R&D – Motorsports). “It is imperative that we continue to invest in the real-world testing of our tires, getting valuable qualitative feedback from the drivers so we can continue to expand the frontiers of tire technology.”
The following races will run on Giti tires: Class D2 with GitiCompete GTR1 and Class D3 & D4 with GitiCompete GTR2 Pro.
In the spirit of selecting the perfect tire for these races, Giti engineers landed in Thailand in early November 2023 to work closely with two of the top Thai Drivers, Weerachat Piyawarangkul (Kong) and Aniwat Lommahadthai (Mai), in the tire development and selection process. The testing was conducted with a Honda Integra fitted with 245/625R17 GitiCompete GTR1 tires, and a Toyota Vios fitted with 195/55R15 GitiCompete GTR2 Pro tires and was an enriching experience for all involved.
For Giti Tire, this race provides the team with a valuable opportunity to identify tires that can adapt to the diverse climates and regional nuances of the region, selecting the tires that will provide race drivers with the confidence to push their vehicles and themselves to their limits.
“It is a true pleasure to work with the Giti Research & Development team. It is very reassuring to see how supportive the team is with taking on feedback to find the perfect tire so the drivers can have the perfect race. More importantly, it was thoroughly enjoyable to take the GitiCompete GTR1 and GitiCompete GTR2 Pro to the track. Their responsiveness and performance lead me to believe that the upcoming race is going to be one to keep an eye on.” Kong and Mai agreed when asked about his experience in supporting the selection of the tires.
