More gravel... and hotter than last year
Although the 2006 Rally Mexico stages were practically all identical to those used in 2005, all the drivers agree that there was much more surface gravel around this time, notably on Leg 1.
The numerous rocks that littered the stages off-line produced several punctures, but none had any significant effect on times thanks to the tyres` mousse inserts.

80-90%
At the end of Leg 1`s second loop – i.e. after 73km, with ground temperatures approaching the 50°C mark – the wear recorded on the g-Force Gravel varied from 80 to 90% as a function of the different car/driver combinations. No additional wear was noted following this year`s return to non- active differentials however. High altitudes and less power also playing a part.

Heat
This year`s event saw ground temperatures soar some 10°C higher than in 2005, with a peak at 49°C during the Saturday afternoon. It won`t be until Greece that WRC runners can expect to find similarly high temperatures.

Hard compound
The hard compound g-Force Gravel 9+ - the hardest of the g-Force Gravel range – was the most frequently chosen tyre this weekend. Would the availability of an even harder compound in the catalogue result in a reduction in the phenomenon of wear? The answer is no. A harder compound would result in additional wheelspin and cause the tyres to wear even more.

Tags: rally,