The 2023 Dakar Rally did not go very well for drivers that were riding on BFGoodrich tires. Tire punctures ruined quite a number of races and got drivers eliminated from the overall competition.
In a recent development, BFGoodrich has announced that it will correct all the mistakes for the 2024 rally, including using a new slightly slower compound that will be more durable and resistant to punctures.
The tire manufacturer supplies the All-Terrain T/A KDR2+ tire in 16- and 17-inch widths. They come with aspect ratios of 245/80-16 for all-wheel-drive and 37/12.5-17 for two-wheel-drive respectively. BFGoodrich also supplies a mud-specific version, the Mud-Terrain T/A KM3, that is supplied to T3 and T4 vehicles.
The Audi Sport team carried out tests to determine what went wrong in the 2023 Dakar Rally. They added 5 kg of silicone over one version of tires. This reduced the chances of getting punctures but greatly slowed down the car due to added weight.
According to SoyMotor, there’s another tire manufacturer planning to enter the Dakar rally. This has motivated BFGoodrich to test out new compounds for 2024. The manufacturer has supplied tires for the rally since 2017. The tires have won 18 times since 1993.