ZC Rubber has announced it is extending its partnership with the Red Bull Driftbrothers. Since last year, the Chinese tire manufacturer has been the official tire and equipment partner of the German motorsport team featuring Elias and Johannes Hountondji under its Westlake Performance Tires brand. The collaboration focuses on equipping the BMW vehicles used in competitions, exhibitions and show drifts. The team’s fleet includes a BMW M2 built for the 2026 season, two BMW M4 models with 1,000hp each and a BMW E30 show car.
The partnership extension will focus on the technological development of the Westlake Sport RS2, with engineers and teams from ZC Rubber and the Red Bull Driftbrothers – led by Elias and Johannes Hountondji – collaborating to test it and develop it further under race conditions.
The latest generation of this high-performance competition tire provides precise handling, maximum stability and consistently strong performance across all temperatures and the full tread depth. Customers interested in competition use can access this innovation through ZC Rubber’s retail partners, as the Westlake Sport RS2 will be available for purchase.
Jeffrey Zhang, general manager of the international business department, Zhongce Rubber Group, said, “We are excited to continue our partnership with the Red Bull Driftbrothers. The experience of Elias [Hountondji, driver and engineer, Red Bull Driftbrothers] and the constructive exchange with his team are extremely valuable for technology and the performance of our products. This is demonstrated very clearly in the development of the Westlake Sport RS2. The demanding drift sport is also an excellent platform for illustrating the performance of our tires. We look forward to the joint events, where we intend to activate our partnership for the European market.”
Red Bull Driftbrothers’ Hountondji added, “Having a reliable and high-performance tire partner is enormously important in our sport. With ZC Rubber, we have had such a partner at our side since last year and are very pleased to continue the cooperation. Together, we have further optimized the rubber compound of the Westlake Sport RS2. The result is a high-performance tire that we can rely on 100%, even under extreme loads, to ensure that the level of grip does not drop. The fact that the tire will soon also be available to customers makes us even more delighted.”
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