TyreSafe has entered into a partnership with RED Driver Training, one of the UK’s leading driving schools, as its first dedicated driving school supporter.

TyreSafe's goal to increase road safety, especially for new drivers starting their adventures as road users, has reached a major milestone with this partnership. In order to promote lifetime habits that lead to safer roads, TyreSafe hopes to increase its efforts to teach new drivers the value of tyre safety and maintenance by collaborating with RED.

By providing thorough driving instruction throughout the UK through a robust network of RED franchised driving instructors, RED Driver Training plays a crucial part in helping thousands of students annually get their driving licenses. RED offers advanced driving experiences in addition to training, such as their well-liked ‘skidpan’ sessions, which assist new drivers in successfully navigating hazardous situations. In order to guarantee that students have the information and abilities necessary to drive safely and responsibly, they also assist them with a dedicated theory and practical test preparation app.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said “We are thrilled to partner with RED Driver Training, an organisation that shares our commitment to road safety and education. New drivers are at a crucial stage in forming safe driving habits, and through this partnership, we have an incredible opportunity to instil the importance of tyre safety from the very beginning of their journey on the roads. Together, we hope to create a generation of drivers who understand the vital role tyres play in road safety.”

Colin Paterson, Head of Marketing at RED Driver Training, said “At RED, our goal is to equip new drivers with the skills, confidence and knowledge to stay safe on the roads, and tyre safety is an integral part of that. Joining forces with TyreSafe allows us to enhance our offering and emphasise the critical role tyres play in keeping drivers and passengers safe. We’re proud to be TyreSafe’s first driving ‘school’ supporter and look forward to working together to make a real difference. Our ‘Learn to Drive with RED’ app makes us more than just a normal driving school, and in co-operation with TyreSafe, we are keen to explore the creation of collaborative video content and more.”

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Giti Tire has secured a Guinness World Records title for the highest speed achieved by electric vehicle tyres, following a run in which its specially engineered GitiSport e.GTR2 Pro tyres reached 503.17 kmph (312.65 mph). The record was set on 1 November 2026 on a specially secured section of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11) in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region, surpassing the previous benchmark of 496.22 kmph set at ATP Papenburg in Germany in September 2025.

The achievement was marked on 6 November 2026 at a ‘Celebration of Speed’ event at Burj Khalifa in Dubai, where Dr Enki Tan, Executive Chairman of Giti Tire Group, received the official Guinness World Records certificate. German professional racing driver Marc Basseng drove the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme during the record-setting attempt.

The GitiSport e.GTR2 Pro resulted from more than three years of collaborative development, engineering innovation and rigorous testing. Designed to withstand the extreme forces of an electric hypercar producing over 3,000 PS, the bespoke tyre features high-strength aramid fibre reinforcement and a specialised racing profile. Giti’s engineers worked closely with YANGWANG and Basseng throughout the programme, refining performance according to vehicle dynamics, aerodynamic changes and driving feedback, and further optimised the tyres for the Abu Dhabi highway conditions with critical technical support.

For Giti Tire, the title reflects the strength of its international research and development network, technical expertise and ability to collaborate with leading manufacturers on demanding projects. With 75 years of tyre manufacturing experience and a presence in more than 130 countries, the company continues advancing engineering capabilities across passenger car, commercial vehicle and high-performance tyres. Its expertise is recognised through extensive Original Equipment partnerships, and lessons from extreme-speed projects contribute to wider development priorities including braking, handling, comfort, efficiency and durability.

Basseng said, “When you're pushing the limits of speed, confidence is everything. Having worked closely with Giti's engineers throughout this journey, I've developed tremendous trust in their expertise, dedication and attention to detail. Knowing that every detail had been carefully tested, checked and prepared gave me the confidence to focus entirely on driving and push beyond what we had previously achieved.”

Dr Tan said, “This will be marked as a true Milestone in Automotive history, going beyond 500kmph in an electric vehicle is an industry game changer. Giti and YANGWANG have together pushed beyond the limits of technology to attain the ‘Highest Speed Achieved by Electric Vehicle Tires’. This achievement is a testament to innovation, dedication and the relentless pursuit of excellence demonstrated by our global research and development teams. We engineer tyres that perform under the most extreme conditions. Beyond setting records, this partnership reinforces our commitment to advancing tyre technology, delivering innovative solutions for the evolving automotive industry and inspiring greater confidence in the Giti brand among vehicle manufacturers and motorists worldwide.”

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Tyres Europe has issued a statement clarifying that recycled content targets under the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR), adopted on 8 July 2026, should apply only to materials expressly covered by the regulation, particularly plastics in vehicles. The organisation argues these targets must not be interpreted as extending to tyres or any material used in their construction. Tyres are bonded composites of rubber compounds, structural textiles and steel cords, and the statement examines each material individually.

On rubber, Article 6(3) of the ELVR explicitly excludes rubber materials used in tyres from plastic recycled content targets. For textiles, Tyres Europe considers those from tyres or other vehicle components to fall outside the scope of plastic recycled content targets, noting that plastics and textiles are regulated under separate legislation with their own definitions even when made from the same base polymer. Steel reinforcement in tyres is explicitly excluded from the delegated act on recycled steel foreseen under Article 6(7).

The organisation warns that bringing tyre materials into the ELVR would create regulatory overlap. Tyres are already a priority product group in the ESPR 2025-2030 working plan, with Ecodesign criteria work ongoing and a Delegated Act foreseen by the end of 2027. Tyres Europe maintains that ESPR is the appropriate tool for assessing recycled content, recyclability, information requirements and other sustainability criteria for all tyre materials. The full statement is available on the Tyres Europe website.

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Vredestein, a brand of Apollo Tyres Ltd, has been ranked joint second among the best all-season tyre manufacturers in Auto Bild’s 2026 manufacturer rankings. The German automotive publication’s recognition follows several ‘Exemplary’ ratings earned by Vredestein all-season products in independent tests. Auto Bild’s annual manufacturer rankings assess brands across three categories: summer, winter and all-season tyres.

The brand’s all-season heritage dates to 1993, when it launched the Quatrac as the segment was still emerging. In 2019, Vredestein expanded the range with the Quatrac Pro, designed specifically for high-performance vehicles. The Quatrac Pro 2, introduced earlier this year, succeeded the original Pro as the high-performance flagship of the all-season lineup. It carries an ‘A’ rating for wet grip and is offered in sizes for 17- to 24-inch rims.

In Auto Bild’s recent all-season tyre test, the Quatrac Pro 2 achieved the best overall snow performance and the second-shortest wet braking distance, securing second place overall. In a separate Auto Bild Allrad assessment, the tyre was praised for strong snow capability, the shortest wet braking distance and solid results across other wet criteria, earning second place in a highly competitive test. The latest honour adds to other independent recognition, including a ‘Very good’ rating and a price-performance recommendation for the Quatrac in Auto Moto und Sport’s recent test of ten all-season tyres.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President, Commercial (Europe, Middle East & Africa), Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “When Vredestein began developing all-season tyres in 1993, the aim was to give drivers confidence in one set of tyres throughout the year. With the Quatrac Pro 2, we have extended that approach to drivers who also expect the precise handling of an ultra-high-performance tyre. We are proud to see our work on this product and our wider all-season portfolio recognised in Auto Bild’s annual ranking.”

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Sri Trang Group has reiterated its dedication to developing the natural rubber sector while protecting the environment and assisting nearby communities. The company recently held the second edition of its 2026 ‘One Sri Trang, One Environment’ initiative at Rubberland Products Company Limited's Mukdahan Branch. Worayan Bunnarat, Governor of Mukdahan, headed a delegation of senior provincial officials from the Provincial Industry, Labour and Public Health Offices. Community leaders and partner networks also participated to learn about the factory's responsible management approach.

Welcoming the delegation were Chalermpop Khanjan, Executive Director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited, and Mustopa Longsaman, Factory Manager of the Mukdahan branch. A symbolic tree-watering ceremony opened proceedings, underscoring a collective commitment to environmental stewardship. Attendees then explored an exhibition displaying natural rubber innovations spanning the supply chain, from traceability systems to programmes enhancing local quality of life. A standout initiative converts discarded plastic bottles into eco-friendly brooms, creating income for residents. The exhibition also recognised collaborative efforts, backed by provincial authorities, that enabled the branch's TO BE NUMBER ONE Club to attain national distinction as a ‘Silver-Level Model Workplace, Year 1’.

Visitors witnessed production processes directly, with particular attention to odour prevention and control at the source. Measures include a fully enclosed raw material storage building, ozone-based air treatment and a biofilter system for reducing odours. The Mukdahan facility has further refined its environmental monitoring through E-Nose intelligent electronic nose technology, which identifies odours and evaluates their dispersion in real time while allowing continuous data sharing with local communities. Alongside this, the V-Pass Smart Receive digital system screens raw material transport vehicles from the outset, helping avert rubber serum leakage along transportation routes.

Sri Trang Group is confident the event will reinforce trust between the factory and neighbouring communities through transparent disclosure of its operational practices. The Group continues to pursue the facility's progression towards ‘green factory’ status and remains committed to stable, sustainable growth in partnership with rubber farmers, local communities and the environment.

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