The World Endurance Championship is welcoming a new LMGT3 racing category next season in 2024, replacing the current GTE runners. The new category means new tyres, and Goodyear has since won the FIA tender to provide rubber for the new generation racing cars.

The three-year deal was revealed after a virtual vote was tallied by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

Goodyear has already been making rounds in the paddock, with its previous foray being the exclusive tyre supplier of LMP2 cars in both the WEC and European Le Mans Series from 2021.

Both GTE Am and GTE Pro, which have been axed to make way for the new LMGT3 category, have since allowed open competition between tyre manufacturers. Michelin has been a big player on the circuit, but Goodyear has slowly been encroaching on their territory.

Richard Mille, FIA Endurance Commission president, said “We have already moved away from tyre heating and we will be gradually reducing the number of available tyre compounds, therefore having an experienced partner that already knows both the WEC as well as GT3 racing is an asset.”

“The fact that LMGT3 cars will run on commercially-available, off-the-shelf tyres is also a positive development that will bring down the costs for competitors.”

His statement was backed by Pierre Fillon, president of WEC promoter the Automobile Club de l’Ouest “We are delighted to have a highly reputable tyre manufacturer on board as the LMGT3 class prepares to hit the track next year.”

“The teams will benefit from Goodyear’s expertise in supplying quality tyres at a competitive cost.”

Will this make for more intense battles on track? We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

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