15/06/2026
KINGTYRE FULLGAS RACING TEAM – From Le Mans to Barcelona: The Next Chapter Begins 🏁🇪🇸
If there's one thing that never changes in endurance racing, it's that the moment the chequered flag drops at one circuit, the clock is already ticking toward the next. For KINGTYRE FULLGAS RACING TEAM, the transition from the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans to the equally demanding 24 Hours of Catalunya isn't just a change of venue — it's a shift in philosophy, strategy, and engineering focus.
LE MANS: A Foundation of Experience
This year marked our 5th participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto — a milestone that speaks volumes about consistency, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of performance. Five times we've lined up on that hallowed grid. Five times we've faced the unique challenges that only Le Mans can throw at a team: unpredictable spring weather, the notorious chicanes on the Mulsanne straight, the punishing demands on both rider and machine over a full day-night-day cycle.
But Le Mans is now in the rearview mirror. And while we carry every lesson learned from those 5 editions with us, our focus is firmly fixed ahead.
CATALUNYA: Round Two Under the Spanish Sun 🇪🇸
Barcelona. Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. A track that needs no introduction to anyone who follows motorcycle racing. With its long straight, technical sector 2, and the high-speed challenge of Turns 9 and 10, this circuit demands a completely different setup philosophy than Le Mans.
This will be our second participation in the 24 Hours of Catalunya — and we'll be running under the number #116. 😎
But here's what makes this edition particularly special: this marks the first-ever participation for KINGTYRE in Spain. 🇨🇳
That's right — a Chinese tire manufacturer making its debut on Spanish soil, in one of the most competitive endurance races on the calendar. The significance is not lost on any of us. KINGTYRE has been making waves in the global motorsport scene, and stepping onto the Catalunya grid for the first time represents another bold statement of intent.
THE REAL CHALLENGE: TYRE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS EXTREME TEMPERATURES
While the number of participations and the "first time in Spain" narrative are exciting, the real story here — the one that our engineers, data analysts, and tire technicians are most focused on — is the radically different thermal challenge that Catalunya presents compared to Le Mans.
Let's get into the technical side, because this is what endurance racing is really about.
Le Mans in April (when the 24 Hours Moto takes place) is notorious for its低温 and wet conditions. Teams battle track temperatures that can dip below 10°C overnight. The tire warm-up window is narrow. Grip is a constant fight. Your tire compound choice is heavily weighted toward cold-weather performance and wet-weather adaptability.
Catalunya in July? A completely different beast.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya sits in the Mediterranean climate zone. Summer track temperatures regularly exceed 40°C — and can push toward 50°C on the surface during peak afternoon hours. That's a temperature delta of 30–40°C compared to a cold Le Mans session.
For a tire manufacturer — and KINGTYRE specifically — this is the ultimate test of compound versatility and engineering breadth.
What changes when the track is 40°C hotter?
Compound Selection — The rubber compound that works at Le Mans would degrade catastrophically at Catalunya. At high track temperatures, the tire needs to resist overheating, reduce graining, and maintain consistent grip over double-stint lengths. The molecular structure of the compound itself has to be re-engineered.
Construction and Carcass — Higher temperatures mean greater internal tire pressure buildup. The carcass construction — the ply layers, the belt angles, the bead design — must be optimized to maintain a stable contact patch as pressures rise. Get this wrong, and you lose rear edge grip under acceleration out of Catalunya's slow-speed corners.
Heat Cycles — Endurance tires don't just survive one qualifying lap and one race stint. They need to survive multiple heat cycles across practice, qualifying, warm-up, and the race itself — all while maintaining performance. A tire that "falls off" after its first heat cycle is useless in a 24-hour race where tire changes are limited and strategy matters.
Asymmetric Wear Patterns — Catalunya's layout with 14 turns — 8 right and 6 left — creates asymmetric loading that tire engineers must account for in both compound placement and tread pattern design. Le Mans has a different asymmetry profile. The tire design literally changes based on the circuit geometry.
Night-to-Day Transition — Here's where it gets really interesting. In a 24-hour race, you'll experience the full temperature spectrum. The Catalunya night can still be warm by European standards (around 20–25°C), but that's still a 20+°C swing from the afternoon peak. Your tire setup has to work across that entire
range. It's not "one compound for the race" — it's "one compound that must survive every condition the race throws at it."
This is the level of engineering that KINGTYRE lives for. Every race is a data point. Every circuit is a new variable. Every condition teaches us something that makes the next tire iteration better.
THE RIDER LINEUP: Coming Soon 🤫
We know you're waiting for the news that matters most — who will be on the grid for KINGTYRE FULLGAS RACING TEAM at the 24 Hours of Catalunya?
The official announcement of our four riders is coming soon. Stay tuned.
What we can tell you is that the selection process has been intense. Endurance racing demands a specific kind of rider — not just raw speed (though that's essential), but consistency, mechanical sympathy, strategic awareness, and the ability to perform at 3 AM when the body is screaming for rest and the bike is two-tenths off the pace.
Four riders. One team. One objective.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR KINGTYRE
Let's zoom out for a moment. KINGTYRE's presence in European endurance racing — from Le Mans to Catalunya — is part of a broader global motorsport strategy. The goal is clear: develop world-class tire technology through the harshest possible proving ground.
Endurance racing is uniquely valuable for tire development because:
It compresses years of street riding into 24 hours
It exposes tires to conditions that would take a consumer thousands of kilometers to replicate
It forces innovation in compound chemistry, construction techniques, and quality control
It provides real-world validation of simulation and lab data
It builds brand credibility in the most competitive motorsport market in the world
THE ROAD TO CATALUNYA
The preparation has been underway for months. Our engineering team has analyzed telemetry from last year's Catalunya race. We've run tire simulations against every corner of the circuit — from the high-speed right-hander at Turn 9 that loads the tire for what feels like an eternity, to the slow-speed chicane at Turns 14 and 15 where you need mechanical bite to rotate the bike.
Every data point has fed into our tire development cycle. New compounds have been mixed, tested, evaluated, and either approved or rejected. Construction prototypes have been built, rolled on the bench, and mounted for testing.
We've also been studying the competition. The 24 Hours of Catalunya consistently attracts some of the strongest teams in endurance racing. The level of preparation is extraordinary. To be competitive, you can't just show up — you have to arrive with a comprehensive plan for every scenario: red flags, safety car periods, changing weather, mechanical issues, rider injuries, and the unpredictable element that always seems to surface in the middle of the night.
A MESSAGE TO OUR SUPPORTERS
To every fan who has followed KINGTYRE FULLGAS RACING TEAM through the Le Mans highs and lows — thank you. Your support fuels this effort. Racing at this level is a massive undertaking, and knowing that the community is behind us makes every early morning, every late-night engineering session, and every challenging moment worthwhile.
To our partners — thank you for believing in the vision. This is only the beginning.
And to the skeptics — watch closely. We're here to compete, to learn, and to win.
NEXT STOP: BARCELONA
The truck is being loaded. The bikes are being prepared. The tires — the product of months of engineering work — are being carefully racked and labeled.
Barcelona, we're coming for you. 🇪🇸
Number #116. KINGTYRE FULLGAS RACING TEAM. First time in Spain. Second time at Catalunya. And our eyes are set firmly on the podium.
The official rider announcement is coming shortly. Follow our page to be the first to know who will be carrying the KINGTYRE colors under the Barcelona lights.
Until then — full gas, always. 🏁🔥
