Gran Turismo and Dunlop partner to improve tyre simulation

• New relationship between road and race car tyre manufactuer Dunlop and Gran Turismo
• Dunlop a formal partner of the Gran Turismo World Series and official tyre partner of Gran Turismo
• Dunlop set to help Gran Turismo 7 creators Polyphony Digital work on its tyre model
• Polyphony Digital set to help Dunlop in simulation technology

Dunlop and Gran Turismo have partnered to help both real-world and virtual-world tyre development.

One of the most critical elements to a simulation driving experience is the tyre model – temperature, pressures, wear rates and more are all calculated in-game as you drive, dramatically affecting car behaviour.

Announced at the Gran Turismo World Series event in Berlin today, 20th September, Dunlop is said to be working with Gran Turismo 7 creators Polyphony Digital to assist in the advancement of its tyre behaviour.

Similarly, the game developers are set to help the tyre manufacturer simulate road and track-going tyres during the development phase.

“We’ve been working and creating the real driving simulator for 30 years now, and one of the most important and mysterious things about recreating a car in the virtual world is actually the tyres,” said Gran Turismo Series Producer, Kazunori Yamauchi.

“Having this partnership with Dunlop, we’re hoping that they will be able to convey some of their technology to us, and at the same time, for us to provide the simulation technology that may open new worlds for the development of tyres and cars.”

The move will also see the Japanese-owned brand have its name on car liveries and tyre sidewalls in-game during the World Series live events.

Michelin was the last official tyre partner of Gran Turismo, a deal which is believed to have ended at the conclusion of the 2024 World Series.

“We’ve been active in racing and rallying all over the world for the last 100 years now, and we’ve always continued to refine our tyres and technology in this way,” said Takehiko Tochio of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd (Dunlop’s parent company).

“Today, tyre development is also being done virtually as well, and by using cutting-edge simulation technology as you see in Gran Turismo, this is how we are able to produce our high-performance tyres.”

“This fusion of the real and virtual is what makes the partnership with Gran Turismo a natural choice. The Gran Turismo World Series represents the future of motorsports. It’s open to everyone globally and digitally enables fierce competition for everyone who participates. These values are also things that Dunlop values most in our daily undertakings as well.”