This tyre was then adapted for the road and was first seen on the Ferrari F40, which made its world debut in 1987. At the time, the F40 was at the cutting-edge of performance: it even went on to sport a Le Mans variant (the F40 LM) for endurance racing.
Similarly, the P Zero name that adorns the tyres it wore has proved to be just at home on the track as it is on the road. And this is still the case now, 30 years after the original P Zero was born.
The latest evolution of the P Zero tyre – not counting the P Zero compounds that star in Formula One – was launched both internationally and later to British media in the United Kingdom.
The international launch of the P Zero road tyre took place at the Estoril circuit in Portugal: fittingly 20 years after the final Portuguese Grand Prix was held in 1996. The Estoril track contains both flat-out straights and a tight and twisty technical section, testing all aspects of tyre behaviour.
A wide variety of road-going supercars fitted with the latest P Zero tyres were available for journalists to experience: including a magnificent Pagani Huayra, the latest creation from the exclusive Italian manufacturer. The supercars were all very different, but what they each had in common were bespoke P Zero tyres specifically created for each model, offering even more grip and driving precision than the previous version.
The British launch was also flavoured with the road to track message, having taken place at Silverstone: the home of the British Grand Prix in July. Media and customers had the chance to experience the newest P Zero tyre on different high-performance Audis, ranging from the new RS3 to the mighty V10 R8. With perfect weather and a contingent of Audi-trained instructors, it was a perfect opportunity for guests to discover the envelope of performance that can be explored thanks to the new P Zero.
The new P Zero has taken what was already the world's leading high performance tyre and improved it still further. More than 30 years after its inception, the P Zero still goes effortlessly from road to track.
