Ferrari broke the internet with its F80 – a 1,200hp hybrid hypercar that is the most powerful road car from Maranello – and the Italian auto maker has announced that Michelin has been tasked with supplying tires to handle these figures.
The K1 tires are exclusive and inspired by the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 range. Michelin says it started from the ground up and pushed all the limits of performance on dry surfaces to develop the tires.
The K1 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R is the “best tire ever designed by Michelin for Ferrari‘, according to the tire maker. It was developed in 15 months and boasts two world firsts – it borrows technologies from the world of motorsport as well as new processes; and it is also the widest tire Michelin has ever produced for the manufacturer.
The front tires on the F80 are classic in size, measuring 285 x 30 R20, while the rear tires are 345 x 30 R21. Michelin developed unique modeling systems for tires to simulate the most extreme conditions. These patented and encryption-protected algorithms are “the most advanced in the world” and enabled Michelin to make great progress in virtual research.
The company has also spearheaded a “virtual industrial development program” to optimize the tire production process. The F80 tires are manufactured using Michelin’s exclusive C3M machines. This production process is the only one of its kind in the world and can produce a tire with an accuracy of 1/10th of a millimeter.
