Tokyo - Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that it extended its contract with the Japanese Formula 3 Association for three more years. According to the agreement, YOKOHAMA's global flagship brand "ADVAN" racing tires will remain the control tires for All-Japan Formula 3 Championship races for the next three years through 2016. YOKOHAMA has supplied tires to the series since 2011, and the contract extension reaffirms the Japanese Formula 3 Association's recognition that YOKOHAMA's "ADVAN" tires fully meet the required performance and safety standards. The control tires will include the "ADVAN A005" and the "ADVAN A006" for use on wet surfaces. Both tires make use of YOKOHAMA's proprietary orange oil compounding technique to ensure superior grip performance while enhancing environmental performance. The control tire sizes will be 200/50VR13 for front tires and 240/45VR13 for rear tires.

YOKOHAMA supplies control tires to many of the world's top-class formula races, including the Macao Grand Prix and the German Formula 3 Championship Series, as well as the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship series. YOKOHAMA has been supplying control tires to the Macao Grand Prix, often called the race that determines the F3 world champion, for 31 consecutive years. YOKOHAMA also supports junior formula racing series, such as Japan's Super FJ and the UK's BRDC F4 Championship series, as part of the company's overall efforts to support a robust formula racing world.

The All-Japan Formula 3 Championship series was started in 1979, making it the longest-running race category in Japan. The series features no-frill formula racing cars designed solely for speed and driving performance. The All-Japan series, together with F3 series in other countries, is considered a springboard for young drivers hoping to become F1 drivers. The most successful drivers from the world's various F3 series gather each November to compete in the Macau Grand Prix and vie for F3 world champion.