Nokian Tyres plc has introduced a new long-term share-based incentive plan for management and key employees, as the company seeks to align executive rewards with shareholder returns.

The board of directors said the Performance Share Plan (PSP) would cover the company’s management and selected key personnel, with the aim of supporting shareholder value creation and reinforcing commitment to strategic objectives.

The plan, titled PSP 2026–2030, comprises three separate plan periods, each with a three-year performance cycle followed by the payment of potential share rewards. The start of each period will be determined by the board, and any rewards will be paid in company shares.

The first phase, PSP 2026–2028, will assess performance against three criteria: relative total shareholder return, weighted at 50 per cent; average return on capital employed (ROCE), at 40 per cent; and a 10 per cent weighting for reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions intensity.

Subject to meeting these targets, rewards will be delivered by the end of April 2029.

The maximum number of shares that may be distributed under PSP 2026–2028 is 1,258,000, representing the gross value of the rewards before applicable taxes are deducted.

Approximately 100 participants are included in the first plan period, including the president and chief executive and members of the group management team.

Under the plan’s terms, participants who leave the company before rewards are paid will generally forfeit their entitlement.

The president and chief executive, together with other senior executives, must retain 25 per cent of the shares received until their personal shareholding equals their gross annual salary from the preceding year.

The board said no new shares are expected to be issued under the plan, meaning it is not anticipated to dilute the company’s existing share base.

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Pirelli's medium and soft compounds shaped the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen took victory for Red Bull and Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula 1 World Championship with a third-place finish. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in second for Ferrari at the circuit named after the Rodríguez brothers.

Verstappen triumphed through a two-stop strategy, beginning on mediums before switching to softs on lap 27. After 18 laps on the C5 compound, a red flag stopped the race, and the Dutchman used the pause to fit another set of softs, then resisted Hamilton's challenge to the finish. Hamilton had started on softs, moved to mediums and took another set of softs during the Safety Car that preceded the red flag, later choosing a previously run soft set at the restart while setting fastest laps on both compounds.

Antonelli, at 20, becomes Formula 1's youngest World Champion, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record of 23. The Italian started on softs, switched to mediums on lap 43 and used the red flag to fit another used set of softs, a strategy that delivered third place and the title. The podium contained only World Champions, with Verstappen on four titles, Hamilton on seven and Antonelli on his first.

Antonelli is the third Italian driver to claim the championship. His predecessors also won exclusively on Pirelli tyres, with Giuseppe Farina taking the inaugural 1950 title across six races and Alberto Ascari securing his second consecutive crown in 1953 by winning all eight Grands Prix he entered.

Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director, said, “Congratulations to Kimi Antonelli on winning the World Championship. It is a thoroughly deserved success, built on the consistency he has demonstrated throughout the season and sealed today with another outstanding performance, culminating in a podium finish in a race packed with drama alongside two World Champions. Without the neutralisations, a one-stop strategy would have been the most competitive option for this Grand Prix. Both the Soft and Medium compounds proved capable of covering around half the race distance, making it possible to complete the event with a single tyre change. The C5 once again confirmed itself as the benchmark compound in terms of grip and driver confidence, although the performance gap to the C4 was very small, with both compounds showing similar levels of degradation. It was therefore no surprise that every driver chose the Soft for the final stint after the Safety Car, despite also having the Hard compound available.

“From a technical perspective, tyre behaviour was very positive. We recorded no significant graining, and degradation remained within expected levels, proving lower than what had been observed on Friday. A lock-up by Leclerc at the restart following the red flag also provided further evidence of the robustness of Formula 1 tyres. The tyre sliding across the asphalt caused particularly severe localised wear on the front-left tyre, bringing it very close to the internal structural layers. This is certainly not a routine occurrence, but it is one that is consistently taken into account throughout Pirelli’s development and validation processes, including through rigorous indoor testing programmes. The ultimate objective is to ensure that the tyre maintains an appropriate level of integrity even under extreme conditions, allowing drivers to continue racing in complete safety.

“The performance of the Soft compound was particularly interesting, as demonstrated by Antonelli’s lengthy stint. He completed 43 laps while maintaining very limited degradation and a competitive pace right through to the closing stages of the race. The C3, meanwhile, was not considered by the teams because, under race conditions, it did not offer any performance advantage over the two softer compounds. Overall, the data collected confirmed a very clear picture, fully consistent with the simulations carried out before the event, both in terms of degradation and the competitiveness of the various strategic options.”

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Goodyear has expanded its presence in Norwood with a new Goodyear Auto Service store at 981 Boston Providence Hwy., situated in the Automile area just off Route 1. The store marked its arrival with a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on 30 September, giving local drivers fresh access to professional tyre and automotive care.

Motorists visiting the location can choose from Goodyear and Cooper tyre lines, which cater to a range of vehicles, budgets and driving preferences. Among the Goodyear offerings are the Eagle F1 All Season for year-round capability, the Wrangler Steadfast HT for dependable comfort, the Assurance WeatherReady 2 for all-weather conditions and the ElectricDrive 2 for electric vehicle performance.

Beyond tyre sales and installation, the Norwood team provides oil changes, alignments, brake service, battery replacement, air conditioning service and preventive maintenance. With heavy commuter traffic along Route 1 wearing down tyres and colder weather elevating the need for proper care, the store invites drivers to receive a complimentary tyre air pressure check or consultation. Tyre rotation, wheel balancing and TPMS inspections are also available.

Several promotional offers are currently available. Through 30 November, customers who purchase and install select Goodyear or Cooper tyres with the Goodyear Credit Card can receive up to USD 200 back, while a full-synthetic oil change is priced at USD 69.99 through 1 December at participating locations. Qualifying oil changes and services also earn up to USD 20 in Valvoline rebates through 31 December. The store operates Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Marsha Nelson, Store Manager, said, “Backed by more than 125 years of expertise, our Goodyear team is ready to help customers choose the right tyres and provide the service their vehicles need to get them where they’re going with confidence. We’re committed to exceptional customer service and top-quality products, and we look forward to building lasting relationships with Norwood-area drivers and their vehicles.”

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Maxxis International will display its Victra RC-1 tyres on Nissan's Project NAT2 SCCA Touring 2³ car at the SEMA Show 2026, scheduled for 3–6 November at the Las Vegas Convention Center, continuing a partnership with the Nissan Acceleration Team (NAT) that dates to 2020. NAT is an all-volunteer motorsports group staffed by Nissan employees, and the Victra RC-1 has become a popular choice among club racers and enthusiasts for its grip, handling and heat cycle performance.

Project NAT2 is a Nissan Z fitted with upgraded engine, suspension and braking systems for the SCCA T2 road-racing class, which balances performance across production-based sports cars and sedans through rules on eligibility, modifications, weight and tyres. The car will run on 100TW Victra RC-1s in 275/35ZR18, retaining much of its production character while being prepared for serious wheel-to-wheel competition with safety, handling, braking and reliability upgrades.

Visitors can see the Project NAT2 Z and its Victra RC-1 tyres at Nissan's Booth #21521 in Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Additional Maxxis tyres are on display at the outdoor booth #82002 in the Silver Lot and the indoor booth #41086 in South Hall Lower near the Bronze Lot.

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Hankook Tire held its 2026 Design Innovation Day on 30 October at Hankook Technodome, the company’s advanced research and development centre in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea. The event, themed ‘Shaping Identity, Sculpting Performance’, gave employees a chance to learn about the tyre maker’s design strategies and major accomplishments.

A central highlight was the company’s first public presentation of a unified product design identity framework covering its principal brands: iON, the world’s first full-lineup tyre brand dedicated to electric vehicles; Ventus, its flagship line and Dynapro, its SUV-focused brand. Hankook Tire also introduced a next-generation product design language for the first time and explained how it will be applied to future products, clarifying each brand’s design direction and creating a consistent approach across the portfolio.

The programme featured three sessions. One addressed design strategies for conveying product performance while preserving brand identity and introduced guidelines for turning ‘invisible performance’ developed during R&D into design elements consumers can recognise, with approaches tailored to different product characteristics. Another session presented the next-generation design language for iON, Ventus and Dynapro, translating each brand’s core values into distinctive design elements. Hankook Tire further shared a framework for collaboration among R&D, product planning, marketing and design teams so they can develop products under unified design standards.

Through the event, Hankook Tire seeks to align design strategies and direction across the organisation, improve product development efficiency and speed decision-making while strengthening global brand recognition and its premium image. The company also aims to bolster design competitiveness in original equipment collaborations with global automakers and in product development for global markets. Hankook Tire continues to earn international design recognition, including three Product Design awards at the 2026 Red Dot Design Awards for Ventus evo, iON AT and Laufenn S FIT2, plus six Design Concept awards comprising two Best of the Best honours and four Red Dot awards.

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