The Vredestein Wintrac Pro+ has earned a notable third-place ranking with an 'Exemplary' rating in a major test of high-performance winter tyres conducted by Auto Bild Allrad. The German magazine’s rigorous assessment involved 12 different tyre models in size 215/55 R 17, putting them through a demanding series of tests on specialised tracks in Finland and Germany. These trials – performed with a Volkswagen T-Roc as the primary test vehicle – were designed to evaluate safety and performance across the most challenging winter conditions, from icy and snow-covered roads to wet surfaces.

Testers praised the tyre for its exemplary balance and specifically highlighted its outstanding wet grip and traction. They described its performance as confident and well-rounded, noting its ability to deliver consistent grip and precise steering control even in highly demanding scenarios. This performance profile confirms the tyre's design and engineering purpose as an ideal choice for modern high-performance vehicles.

The Wintrac Pro+ is the latest flagship winter tyre from Vredestein, a brand with a heritage of winter innovation spanning more than half a century. Its advanced technology includes a high-silica tread compound and an optimised directional pattern. This combination is engineered to provide exceptional braking and handling on snow, slush and ice while also contributing to reduced rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency.

To accommodate a wide array of vehicles, the tyre is available in over 120 different sizes fitting rims from 17 to 22 inches. The majority of these variants carry a ‘Y’ speed rating, meaning they are certified for speeds up to 300 kmph. Furthermore, every tyre in the range carries the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, certifying that it meets strict European regulatory standards for severe snow service.

Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The Vredestein Pro+ is a premium winter tyre designed specifically for high-performance cars and SUVs, including the latest generation of performance-oriented electric vehicles. With this segment continuing to grow rapidly, it’s significant that Auto Bild Allrad has once again endorsed the competitiveness of our products. The Wintrac Pro+ combines exceptional winter capability with the refinement and confidence expected by today’s drivers.”

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Bridgestone is set to redefine high-performance motorcycling with the 2026 introduction of its track-exclusive RACING BATTLAX V03 tyre in Europe and North America. This premium offering is engineered for a broad spectrum of riders, from dedicated amateurs to professional competitors, who demand exceptional speed and the ultimate in grip from their equipment.

The V03’s development is deeply rooted in Bridgestone’s proven success in elite global racing, such as a five-year winning streak in the FIM Endurance World Championship. This racing heritage directly informs the tyre's advanced technology, including a completely new front and rear profile that enlarges the contact patch with the track. This redesign, combined with novel compounds and sophisticated production methods, results in what Bridgestone describes as the most significant grip in the history of its BATTLAX line. When benchmarked against its predecessor, the V02, the V03's SOFT compound demonstrates a measurable 1.3 percent reduction in lap times, all while maintaining consistent performance over multiple laps.

A landmark innovation for this model is the introduction of a dedicated rear SPRINT spec. This variant is specifically formulated to deliver the absolute peak grip for shorter race formats. By concentrating its compound technology on immediate, maximum performance, the SPRINT spec achieves an even more substantial lap time improvement of 1.9 percent over the previous generation. This provides riders with a strategic choice, allowing them to select a tyre optimised for either endurance or all-out sprint racing conditions.

As the new flagship of Bridgestone's motorcycle racing portfolio, the RACING BATTLAX V03 embodies the company's philosophy of using motorsports as a dynamic laboratory. The technologies perfected in this track-focused tyre are intended to ultimately influence the development of future commercial products, marking a new era where cutting-edge racing innovation directly fuels advancements for all riders.

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In a landmark event for the United Kingdom's agricultural sector, Trelleborg Tires successfully hosted the inaugural UK edition of its Tractor Driver of the Year competition. The prestigious grounds of Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire provided the setting on 16 October 2025 for a gathering of the nation's most skilled operators. These drivers were put through a rigorous practical examination of their abilities, facing a circuit of demanding stations that evaluated their agility, pinpoint accuracy and overall vehicle command.

The contest, which ran throughout the day, required competitors to master a suite of complex manoeuvres. Each task was engineered to push the limits of their expertise using a fleet of Valtra tractors equipped specifically with Trelleborg’s TM1000 ProgressiveTraction and TM1060 tyres. After an intense series of trials, Mitchell Oldershaw emerged victorious, securing the coveted title of Tractor Driver of the Year UK 2025. His winning run, a remarkable feat of precision and speed completed in just eight minutes and forty-nine seconds, earned him the grand prize of an Everyman Racing Platinum Package. The successful execution of the event was supported by technical collaborations with Valtra and Chandlers FE Ltd, which supplied the necessary machinery and trailers.

This UK debut represents a significant international expansion for the competition, which has long been a cornerstone event for farming professionals in Italy. Trelleborg Tires has demonstrated a clear commitment to fostering a hands-on community for the agricultural sector, creating dynamic platforms where operators can directly engage with advanced tyre technology. By translating technical innovation into tangible on-ground performance, the company continues to underscore the critical relationship between superior tyre engineering and enhanced productivity in modern farming. The event’s success paves the way for future gatherings that celebrate skill, technology and community spirit.

Celebrating his victory, Oldershaw said, “A big thank you to everyone for organising such a great event. It’s been a fantastic day – I came for the fun and didn’t expect to win! I’m already looking forward to coming back next year to defend the title!”

Hawra Hussain, Marketing Manager UK & ROI at Yokohama TWS, said, “Tractor Driver of the Year is all about putting farmers’ skills to the test and showcasing real performance in the field. Every detail of this event – from the venue to each challenge – was designed to create an authentic and rewarding experience. Connecting directly with farmers helps us understand their real-world needs and lets them see our tyres in action, demonstrating the superior traction and durability that drive high productivity every day.”

Seth Bradford, Sales Support Manager for UK & Ireland at Valtra, said, “This event has been a great opportunity to meet the agricultural community and strengthen our collaboration with Trelleborg Tires. We work together, as we offer extensive range of Trelleborg VF tyres that work seamlessly with our factory-fitted central tyre inflation system. This integrated approach enhances customisation and maximises performance and comfort in the field.”

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The EU Commission’s proposal to amend the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has been met with sharp criticism from the German rubber industry. While supportive of the goal to reduce bureaucracy, the industry argues that the amendment, presented on 21 October 2025, fundamentally misses the mark. According to Boris Engelhardt, Managing Director of the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk), the changes create new, significant problems rather than solving existing ones. The association is therefore reiterating the introduction of ‘first-touch principle’ to achieve the regulation's goals without crippling businesses.

The core of the issue lies in a new requirement for handling supply chain data. Instead of each company registering its products, the proposal mandates that a single reference number from the first importer must be passed through the entire supply chain. Engelhardt warns that this places an immense technical and administrative burden on companies. Their IT systems, built at great cost for the original EUDR rules, cannot process and forward countless supplier numbers, requiring expensive, time-consuming upgrades that cannot be completed by the 2025/2026 deadline.

Beyond the technical impracticality, the industry identifies a more severe flaw: the compulsory sharing of these reference numbers would force companies to disclose their confidential supplier relationships to all downstream competitors. This is viewed as an unacceptable violation of trade secrets.

As a solution, wdk champions the ‘first-touch principle’. This approach would concentrate all regulatory oversight exclusively on the first economic actor who brings a covered raw material into the EU. All subsequent companies within the EU's single market would be exempt from the EUDR's burdens. The wdk contends that this system would fully meet the deforestation regulation's environmental objectives while instantly resolving the IT system overload and robustly protecting sensitive commercial information for all businesses in the value chain.

Engelhardt concluded, "After two years of tinkering, fixing laws at the last minute with a hasty needle doesn't work. That's not how democratic legislators work. The proposed amendment to the EUDR creates ambiguities and gaps, particularly regarding corporate liability, the consequences of which are unforeseeable. The only solution can be: EUDR with a first-touch principle!”

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The Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna concept tyre, a collaborative effort with UPM, secured top honours at the 2025 New Wood competition. This prestigious award recognises groundbreaking wood-based bioeconomy solutions that tackle global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals. The jury assessed entries on their societal importance, market potential and innovative use of wood, ultimately selecting a winner seen as a benchmark for the industry.

The concept tyre earned praise for making a concrete advance towards sustainable transport and materials production. It serves as a powerful example of how ecological considerations can be integrated with high performance, offering a blueprint for other companies. Its core innovation involves a significant material substitution in the tyre's sidewall, where conventional fossil-based fillers have been replaced with UPM BioMotion, a renewable filler derived from lignin.

As fillers determine much of a tyre's durability and performance and account for roughly a third of its mass, this shift is particularly impactful. Lignin is a natural compound abundant in wood and is generated as a by-product of pulp manufacturing. The successful application of this bio-based material in a demanding component like a tyre sidewall signals a pivotal shift for the entire industry, marking a substantial leap in the journey toward a future built on renewable resources.

Pauli Aalto-Setälä, a jury member of the New Wood 2025 competition, said, “Sometimes the most powerful innovations don’t alter the product itself, but the materials behind it – transforming it into something truly sustainable.”

Martta Fredrikson, Chair of the New Wood competition jury, said, "This year, the utilisation of industrial side streams was particularly highlighted in the New Wood competition. The lignin-based tyre material that won the competition and the second-placed wood fibre insulation are excellent examples of this.”

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