With Goodyear taking over as an LMP2 tyre supplier in the FIA WEC this season and the ELMS next year, Dunlop’s involvement in ACO sportscar racing (for the foreseeable future at least) has come to an end.
Its run is over after supplying countless cars, winning an enormous amount of races in the European Le Mans Series, FIA World Endurance Championship and of course, at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Since 2004, Dunlop has won 21 Le Mans Series/European Le Mans Series class titles, a further seven in the FIA WEC and supplied winning teams at Le Mans nine times, with at least one class win between 2011 and 2018.
It has been an extraordinary ride, featuring so many memorable moments. Who could forget Aston Martin Racing’s Le Mans GTE Pro class win in 2017, or its dominance in the GT ranks of the early years of the Le Mans Series with Sebah Automotive and Virgo Motorsports.
There have been some spectacular looking cars too, with JMW Motorsport’s Ferraris in recent years sporting Dunlop art liveries at Le Mans multiple times.
The future looks bright with Goodyear, Dunlop’s parent company, which has been named the sole supplier for LMP2 in the FIA WEC from next season on. But for now, let’s take a look down memory lane at the title-winning and Le Mans winning cars that raced with Dunlop since 2004:
ELMS achievements
2004 Le Mans Endurance Series
Class wins: 4
GT class title: Sebah Porsche
2005 Le Mans Endurance Series
Class wins: 5
LMP2 title: Chamberlian Synergy Lola
GT2 title: Sebah Automotive Porsche
2006 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 3
2007 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 3
GT2 title: Virgo Motorsports Ferrari 430 GT2
2008 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 5
GT2 title: #96 Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430
2009 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 6
LMP2 title: #40 Quifel ASM Ginetta Zytek
GT1 title: Luc Alphand Adventures Corvette C6.R
2010 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 2
2011 Le Mans Series
Class wins: 5
LMP2 title: Greaves Motorsport Zytek Zytek Z11SN
2012 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 4
LMP2 title: Thiriet by TDS ORECA 03 R
GTE Pro title: JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 GTE
2013 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 3
2014 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 4
LMP2 title: Signatech Alpine Alpine A450
2015 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 15
LMP2 title: Greaves Motorsport Zytek
GTE title: Formula Racing Ferrari 458 GTE
GTC title: TDS Racing BMW Z4 GT3
2016 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 12
LMP2 title: G-Drive Racing Gibson 015S
GTE title: Beechdean AMR Aston Martin Vantage GTE
2017 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 12
LMP2 title: G-Drive Racing by DragonSpeed ORECA 07 Gibson
GTE title: JMW Motorsport Ferrari 488 GTE
2018 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 10
LMP2 title: G-Drive Racing ORECA 07 Gibson
GTE title: Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR
2019 European Le Mans Series
Class wins: 8
GTE title: Luzich Racing Ferrari 488 GTE
FIA WEC achievements
2012
Class wins: 8
LMP2 title: Starworks Motorsport HPD ARX-03b
2013
Class wins: 7
LMP2 title: Oak Racing Morgan LMP2
2014
Class wins: 7
2015
Class wins: 8
LMP2 title: G-Drive Racing Ligier JS P2
2016
Class wins: 14
LMP1 Privateer title: Rebellion Racing R-13
GTE Pro title: Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE
2017
Class wins: 13
LMP2 title: Vaillante Rebellion ORECA 07 Gibson
GTE Am title: Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE
2018/19
Class wins: six
Le Mans 24 Hours class victories (during the Le Mans Series era)
2011
LMP2 win: Greaves Motorsport Zytek Z11SN
2012
LMP2 win: Starworks Motorsport HPD ARX-03b
2013
LMP2 win: Oak Racing Morgan LMP2
2014
LMP2 win: Jota Sport Zytek Z11SN
2015
LMP2 win: KCMG ORECA 05
2016
LMP2 win: Signatech Alpine A460
2017
LMP2 win: Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA 07 Gibson
GTE Pro win: Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE
2018
LMP2 win: Signatech Alpine Matmut Alpine A470
