Yokohama successfully solves the problem of punctures

Yokohama has introduced a new specification of rear tires for the 2022 Super Formula season in a bid to alleviate concerns over punctures.

The new rubber, which features a slightly stiffer rear construction in an attempt to boost durability, was trialled in December last year in post-season testing at Suzuka, where teams were given one set each to try out. Following those tests, the new tires were used during the first pre-season test at Suzuka this week.

The reason for the change is a spate of punctures that have occurred in recent seasons, particularly in the wake of Yuji Kunimoto's accident in last April's Suzuka round. Additionally, Nirei Fukuzumi lost a likely win in the same race due to a deflated tire.

"Since the beginning of last year, we have been working on improving the durability of the tires. Finally, during the post-season rookie test, we informed everyone that the specification would be changed, and after the teams had a chance to try out the new specification, we approved it. To improve wear resistance, we changed the profile, the way the tires compress under load in corners has changed, and as a result, the ability to corner has increased slightly," said Noritaka Koguchi, Yokohama's senior tire development engineer.