SponsorshipMonday, 04 November 2013 17:29Pirelli have announced it will continue to supply tyres to the MINI Challenge, throughout 2014.Entering its 13th year, the MINI Challenge consists of two competitive classes: the Cooper class and the turbo-charged John Cooper Works class. A typical race weekend consists of one qualifying session and three 20-minute races. For the first time in six years, the Pirelli-supported MINI Challenge competed on European soil in 2013 as the crews battled it out at former Dutch Formula One circuit, Zandvoort, for the season's penultimate round.Pirelli now supplies tyres to more than 250 motorsport championships worldwide and has been the tyre supply partner to the MINI Challenge in the UK since 2012. The relationship is now set to continue during 2014 offering the competitors continued stabilityMINI Challenge UK Championship promoter, Antony Williams, said: "Pirelli is a fantastic brand to be partnered with and the company has been very supportive of the MINI Challenge. Our relationship is a key reason as to why our grids have been so strong in 2013, with typically 27 or more drivers taking part in the MINI Challenge at each event. The controls on tyre usage that we have put in place with Pirelli, along with the value for money and durability that Pirelli tyres offer, mean that this key part of the budget is kept under control. We are expecting 2014 to offer more of the same but with more MINI festival events, other higher profile events and improved media coverage - all within the same sensible budgets."Pirelli Motorsport Operations Manager, Matthew Corby, added: "The MINI Challenge has grown from strength to strength this year and it's fantastic that we have agreed terms to supply the MINI Challenge crews throughout 2014. Pirelli's high performance P Zero and Cinturato tyres have been approved for the MINI Countryman and MINI Cooper S road cars so it only make sense to continue as the official tyre supplier to the country's main MINI racing championship too. The MINI Challenge offers a fun and friendly environment, technical parity and effective budget controls to create an overall package which is difficult to rival in terms of value for money."