Michelin's racing involvement covers a period virtually as long as the history of the automobile. Throughout that time, many of Michelin's innovations have been born on the race track. No other tire manufacturer is involved in so many forms of world class motor sports as Michelin. Their championships include World Championships in Formula One, World Rally competition, MotoGP, the Paris to Dekar race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the American Le Mans Series.

Michelin has a tradition for technical innovation along with the laurels of victory. Racing is a great laboratory to solve problems relating to every aspect of a tire's construction and performance. Their passion to succeed in motorsports compels the company to always strive to improve tire technology and increase their knowledge of how tires work in all sorts of environments. Their line of tires include everything from racing slicks to auto and motorcycle tires, tires for earth movers, farm equipment, airplanes, bicycles, heavy duty trucks and even the tires for the Space Shuttle.

What they learn in racing directly improves the breed. In their high performance tires, the weight, sidewall stiffness, belt package, polymers, and belt compliance are based on racing experience. In addition, when creating new polymers for tread compounds for Formula One, they found that the cooler interior of their racing radial tires could withstand compounds that ran hotter during competition. These new polymers led to the development of the original low-rolling resistance tire. And when Michelin began adding silica to the compounds of its racing slicks, they found it provided excellent wet traction. This processing of silica led to enhanced wet performance in their street tires.

This obsessive engineering has paid off in the American Le Mans Series. In 2007, the tire maker won the LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2 titles. The P1 and GT2 titles were the eighth in a row for Michelin. Michelin teams won 48 ALMS class victories in 48 class starts in the twelve-race season. Eighty-one new track records were set in qualifying or race lap records at the twelve events. In short, it was a Michelin sweep as they won all the class wins, race wins, lap records and championships in 2007 ALMS competition.

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin North America is headquartered in Greenville, S.C. and employs more than 22,000 people at 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.