Michelin, which has been actively involved in endurance racing and in the growth of the discipline for many years, will naturally be at Okayama where nine of the 23 cars will be running on its tyres. Its presence in the series will also take the form of the Michelin Green X Challenge which rewards those cars that deliver the most energy-efficient performances.

 

In LMP1, Michelin will be working with its principal 2009 Le Mans Series partners, namely the title-winning N°007 Aston Martin, Pescarolo Sport, ORECA and the Kolles-run Audi. Michelin tyres will also feature on the Larbre Compétition Saleen in GT1, a category which promises to see a particularly fierce battle. The fight is likely to be just as close – if not more so – in GT2, with five different carmakers racing on four different brands of tyre. Michelin's partner will be the Le Mans Series-winning Felbermayr Proton-run Porsche.

 

"Okayama is a slow track with a fairly worn, smooth surface," notes Matthieu Bonardel, the manager of Michelin Competition's four-wheel programmes. "It doesn't give much grip, and there are quite a few slow corner exits where understeer can be a problem and which call for hard acceleration and consequently good traction. Tyre wear is something that needs to be taken on board, too, and double stint strategies probably won't suit all the cars."

 

The 3.703km Okayama circuit is situated at altitude on an island, so unsettled weather could also turn out to be a decisive factor. "We've got to expect anything and everything, really. If the weather is cold, then we run a risk of encountering the phenomenon of graining. Our Japanese rivals know the track well because they go testing there frequently, so we face a big challenge. Our LMP1 partners will be able to choose from medium- and soft-compound tyres."

 

Michelin Competition's three French technicians will benefit from technical and logistical assistance provided by Michelin Japan.