Goodyear to introduce new slick specification tire for LMP2 at Le Castellet

Goodyear is set to debut a new slick tire specification for LMP2 teams at this weekend’s 4 Hours of Le Castellet, the second round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS). The new specification marks a step forward in tire performance and durability for LMP2 competitors, offering better performance tailored to the diverse driver line-up in the category.

Following an action-packed season-opening 4 Hours of Barcelona in April, ELMS continues its six-race European tour with a stop at Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend. Goodyear continues as the exclusive tyre supplier for both the LMP2 and LMGT3 categories, roles it has held since 2021 and 2024 respectively, supplying tyres to 34 of the record-breaking 44 full-season entries. This includes 14 LMP2, 7 LMP2 Pro-Am, and 13 LMGT3 entrants.

The newly developed LMP2 slick specification, which builds upon the proven foundation of Goodyear’s existing compound, has been developed to further improve performance and durability for drivers across race stints. It will be introduced at Le Castellet and remain in use for the remainder of the 2025 ELMS campaign. It will also be used by all 17 LMP2 contenders entered for the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

João Coelho, Testing & Track Support Manager, Goodyear, explains: “This new specification is an evolution of our existing slick LMP2 compound. It has undergone extensive testing in close collaboration with several LMP2 teams, both on track and through simulation work. Their input has been very valuable in helping us fine-tune the construction to suit the specific demands of endurance racing. That partnership has allowed us to introduce a tire that delivers even higher standards of performance, and maintains the reliability needed for endurance races as gruelling as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

The new specification arrives after the current set of LMP2 regulations was renewed in preparation for the next generation of cars set to debut in 2028. Goodyear’s development process ensures that tires remain optimised not only for outright performance but also for versatility across the diverse driver line-up in the LMP2 Pro-Am category. That same approach guided Goodyear's work in LMGT3, where car architecture and handling dynamics vary even more widely. 

Coelho adds: “We have a mixture of Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze-rated drivers competing in LMP2, so it’s essential the slick tire offers drivability, is forgiving, and remains trusted to race on by an array of drivers with a range of driving styles. That’s a key focus for both our LMP2 and LMGT3 products.” 

Teams competing in the LMGT3 category, meanwhile, will continue to run the latest specification of Goodyear’s ‘Eagle Medium’ slick compound this season. These tires are engineered to meet the diverse demands of modern LMGT3 machines, which are closely related to their high-performance road-going counterparts. LMGT3 therefore remains an ideal platform for transferring racing innovations to Goodyear’s ultra ultra high-performance (UUHP) road tires.

This season also marks the third year without tire warmers in ELMS, placing even greater emphasis on fast warm-up characteristics. Each team across LMP2 and LMGT3 is supplied with a single specification of a slick and wet-weather compound per event.

“As with the previous LMP2 slick specification, we’ve maintained a strong focus on ensuring quick tire warm-up, which is critical for cars during out-laps, safety car restarts, and in changeable weather conditions. We’d like to thank the drivers and teams for their cooperation in developing this new specification, and we cannot wait to see them do battle for the remainder of this season.”