Pirelli unveils its unified tire for the Rally Sweden

The Rally Sweden, the only race on snow planned for the WRC this year, marks the debut of an all-new Pirelli tire, the championship’s supplier.

For this particular event, the Italian manufacturer has launched a new product called Sottozero. Unlike the previous years’ Rally Sweden events where teams could select a tire from a wide range of treads, compounds, and stud lengths, the new Sottozero 145/85 R16 only comes with one type of design, construction, compound, and studs.

To be able to bite into the ice beneath the soft snow, the Sottozero is equipped with 400 tungsten-tipped studs, 2 cm long, molded into the rubber blocks during the vulcanization process. The studs protrude 7 mm from the rubber to penetrate the road surface, aided by the tire’s narrow width, which increases ground contact pressure.

According to the rally manager at Pirelli, Mario Isola: « It is a very special tire that all the manufacturer teams in the championship have recently been able to test. They have appreciated its traction capacity and grip. Of course, the more it snows, the more drivers will be able to appreciate all its qualities. »

Despite the lack of anti-puncture foam, banned for the 2008 season, the tires proved to be robust and reliable during testing, and I do not expect to see many punctures during the rally, added Mario Isola.

According to the WRC