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Who wouldn’t want a competition tire that provides the full Unfair Advantage–something wider, stickier and, ultimately, faster than the rest of the field?
Earlier this year, we heard rumblings of such a tire: a breakout 200tw model, one that would push the limits of motorsports rules restrictions and be available in some unique sizes.
A comparison photo circulated online further whetted our appetite: a stack of 275/35R15 Hoosier A7s next to a set of these new tires–the Vitour Tempesta P1 in 285/30R15. The Vitours sat taller.
Previously, the widest 15-inch fitment available in a 200tw street tire was 245/40R15, and even those were few and far between. Now here was a tire that was a full inch wider, promising to deliver category-leading grip in gargantuan sizes. Forced-inducted and V8-swapped Miata owners began to salivate.
Where Did the Vitour Tempesta P1 Come From?
The man behind this effort is Sammy Valafar, a longtime racer known for pushing the gray areas of regulations in both SCCA and NASA. Lately, he’s found a home with the Optima Ultimate Street Car series, a venue with very few car prep restrictions other than the requirement for 200tw street tires. His vehicles of choice have typically been Miatas.
Vitour Tires are designed and manufactured in China, with an emphasis on fitments for work vehicles. Looking to expand into the UHP market, its president, Jeff Liu, came to the 2016 SEMA Show, where he met Valafar. The two worked together for several years to build a tire that could compete at the highest level, marked at the time by the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R.
[Goodyear F1 Supercar 3 and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs. the Outgoing Bridgestone RE-71R]
By the time their new tire–the Tempesta Enzo–came to market, however, newer, faster models were in play, most notably the Yokohama Advan A052.
[200-treadwear tire test | Falken RT660 vs. Yokohama A052 vs. Nankang CR-1]
With the bar raised again, more development occurred, resulting in the Tempesta P1. Their internal testing showed it to be at least as quick as anything else out there. Given what we’ve now seen, that may have been a significant understatement.
Valafar’s company, VU Development, is currently the sole importer for this tire, but the…
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