Walkenhorst Motorsport and Pirelli have launched a long-term partnership for tyre development on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The team from Melle, Germany, will act as a reference partner for the Italian brand. Together, they will focus on improving Pirelli’s GT3 tyres under real-world endurance conditions.

From Yokohama and Michelin to Pirelli

The partnership builds on earlier work between Walkenhorst and Pirelli in GT World Challenge Europe and ADAC GT Masters. Until recently, Walkenhorst ran on Michelin during their 2024 debut with Aston Martin. Before that, they worked closely with Yokohama throughout their long BMW programme. Now, they take on a new role in Pirelli’s Nordschleife strategy.

“Walkenhorst Motorsport has been one of the most successful top teams on the Nordschleife for years,” said Pirelli Motorsport Director Matteo Braga. “Our stated goal is to combine the expertise of Walkenhorst and Pirelli to achieve a further performance step for our racing tyres. We’ve already started the cooperation at NLS1 and are very satisfied with the start.”

Fast start to the partnership

Pirelli’s latest GT3 slicks use developments from DTM and GT World Challenge Europe. The new version focuses on performance, but also on sustainability. Aston Martin works driver Christian Krognes showed the tyre’s potential during NLS1 qualifying, clocking a 7:53.297, one of the fastest laps in Nürburgring history.

“We are proud that such a renowned tyre manufacturer as Pirelli is relying on our expertise,” said Walkenhorst Managing Director Jörg Breuer. “The collaboration has been excellent from the start — very professional and focused. We’re looking forward to the road ahead.”

As part of the agreement, all Walkenhorst cars will now run on Pirelli tyres. This includes the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, GT4 entries, and the Hyundai i30N.

Eyes on the Nürburgring 24 Hours

With the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring just days away, Walkenhorst and Pirelli are aiming to turn development into performance. Check out our full 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours entry list preview here.