Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has announced its plan for motor sports activities in 2008. Viewing motor sports as part of global development of its global flagship brand ADVAN, the company will support a number of different motor sports activities in Japan and around the world.

Major activities will be as follows:


Joining Formula 1 (F1) and the World Rally Championship (WRC), the WTCC became the third FIA world championship in 2005. The 2008 season will mark its fourth year. Yokohama Rubber has been supplying ADVAN racing tires as the designated one-make tire since 2006, and, based on high evaluations of their balanced performance on both FF and FR cars, has been officially designated to do so through at least 2009. As last year, the company's support of all teams means tires for about 35 cars.

Beginning in Brazil on March 2, the 2008 WTCC will consist of twenty-four races in twelve rounds, climaxing with the final races in Macau. This year will see the first WTCC competition at the Okayama International Circuit, which is certain to mean world-class excitement for fans in Japan.


As the designated one-make supplier for the second year in a row, Yokohama Rubber will supply ADVAN racing tires for the IFM series, a new formula category established in 2007 as a stepping stone (along with GP2) to Formula 1. IFM series will be staged concurrently during eight European rounds of the WTCC. Cars will be F3 class, 2-pedal/paddle-shift. Starting with races in Spain on May 18, the eight IFM events will continue through the tour stop in Italy. Exciting performances by drivers hoping to move up to F1 can be expected.

Starting this year, the Italia Formula Master series will be added nationally to the IFM. Yokohama Rubber will supply ADVAN racing tires to the series as the one-make tire.


Yokohama Rubber will supply ADVAN racing tires in the two most popular racing categories in China, where people are increasingly interested in motor sports.

In the China Rally Championship, Yokohama Rubber will continue its partnership with Shanghai Volkswagen 333 Racing - which won the title in 2007 - aiming at another series championship in the 2WD NA2000 cc and under class. In the 4WD over 2000 cc class, the company will support Subaru Rally Team China, which is aiming to retake the title.

In the China Touring Car Championship, Yokohama Rubber will continue its partnership with the two top teams in China - Shanghai Volkswagen 333 Racing, which won the 2007 series championship on ADVAN racing tires, and Gear Sports, which finished second and will support these teams aiming at series championship.


Having been part of this race for 25 years in a row, Yokohama Rubber will again participate in the LMP1 class, this time with Tokai University's "Le Mans Challenge Project." The Tokai project team is headed by Professor Yoshimasa Hayashi of the university and includes a number of his students. It has engaged in research and development of racing machines and engines for seven years. Participation by an industry-and-academia team at Le Mans will be a world's first and expected to get results.


In partnership with the Cusco World Rally Team, which will be taking part in the APRC for the third time, Yokohama Rubber has its sights on the championship. The team, which finished second and sixth in 2006 and 2007, respectively, features drivers Hiroshi Yanagisawa, Dean Herridge and Yuya Sumiyama, and will participate with two cars.


Run under the same rules as Le Mans 24 Hours, the series will consist of 12 races, starting in Sebring. Yokohama Rubber will provide ADVAN racing tires to the B-K Motor Sports team participating in the LMP2 class. B-K is also partnering this year with MAZDASPEED Motorsports.


In the GT500 class, Yokohama Rubber will continue its partnerships with KONDO RACING, which won the 2007 championship at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, and TOYOTA TEAM TSUCHIYA. Running on ADVAN racing tires, KONDO RACING won in only its second year of participation in the GT500 class. This year, the team will change cars, having chosen the NISSAN GT-R. TOYOTA TEAM TSUCHIYA will, this year again, use the proven TOYOTA SC 430. Yokohama Rubber is now developing tires to match the characteristics of the two cars, and looking eagerly forward to the results.

In the GT300 class, Yokohama Rubber will, this year, too, supply racing tires to about 60% of the teams, including Cars Tokai Dream 28, which won the championship in 2007.


As in 2007, Yokohama Rubber will continue its partnership with the ADVAN-PIAA RALLY TEAM. The team will participate with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X painted red and black - ADVAN colors - aiming at retaking the series championship.

Yokohama Rubber will support a variety of categories and events, including the Super Taikyu Race, the All Japan Gymkhana Championship, and the All Japan Dirt Trial.


Yokohama Rubber will provide ADVAN racing tires to the following:
*International F3 Macau Grand Prix (China): Will provide one-make tires for the F3 Grand Prix for the 26th consecutive year, and for the WTCC final round.
*Yokohama Drivers Cup Series: Race series featuring Porsche996 and 997.
*German F3 (Germany): F3 race.
*Polo Cup (China): Race featuring the Volkswagen Polo.
*Civic One-Make Race (Japan): Race featuring the Honda Civic.
*Formula 4, Carts, etc. - entry-level categories to the world of motor sports.

This year, too, Yokohama Rubber will support teams using its tires, helping them to achieve the best possible performance, and will use the data and experience it gains in its development of commercial tires.