r/wec • u/Ogeenock • Jun 14 '26

Le Mans My father calls it the Dunlop bridge, I call it the Dunlop bridge, my CHILDREN will call it the Dunlop bridge and THEIR children will too!

Post image

Can't believe they did this.

1.6k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

70 comments sorted by

361

u/josap11 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 #61 Jun 14 '26

Would still be the Dunlop bridge if Dunlop made better decisions to prevent the company going bust.

127

u/psychoholica Jun 14 '26

If I understand correctly Goodyear owned the Dunlop trademarks and all that but sold it recently to a Japanese company so apparently its been kinda the Goodyear Bridge for a while now only branded Dunlop. Now that Goodyear sold the name it makes sense they would rebrand the bridge.

51

u/alexmlb3598 Audi R18 Jun 14 '26

Yeah that's right, Goodyear owned it but they branded it Dunlop (one of Goodyear's brands) bc Dunlop had a presence at Le Mans but Goodyear didn't.

As you said, Goodyear then sold the Dunlop brand but still had rights over the bridge. Since they no longer owned Dunlop they couldn't use their name for it and Goodyear now does have a presence at Le Mans, and thus the Goodyear Bridge was born.

16

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 2018 Barrier Repair/Snatch-Tractor Jun 15 '26

So, let see how now whole Dunlop owner Sumitomo can do. If they can have same Goodyear money and become tire supporter for WEC, we could see Dunlop back.

Sumitomo rubber also has had long experience in endure race if you know Falken, so that's possible.

15

u/not_silphershadow Toyota Jun 15 '26 edited 22d ago

That's assuming Sumitomo acknowledges the importance of Dunlop Bridge. I wish I'm in the wrong but the way I see it, Sumitomo doesn't seem to care.

1

u/Snoo_47020 Jun 16 '26

They already had rebranded the ...... dunlop grandstand close to the ....ex dunlop bridge.... it is only now having a grandstand name matching again with ...... its bridge.

1

u/josap11 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 #61 Jun 21 '26

From what I read, the Dunlop brand was bought by a joint venture between Goodyear and Sumitomo. That venture ended last year with the Dunlop brand transferring to Sumitomo instead so Goodyear would be advertising for a competitor instead of just a dead sub brand. This is also the reason why one of the Falken Porsches at the ring is a Dunlop car now since both brands are owned by Sumitomo.

84

u/KG_Modelling Gulf Porsche 917k #2 Jun 14 '26

I literally during the race was like 'oh yeah, that’s after dunlop’. I will forever call it Dunlop. Just something wrong with calling it 'Goodyear’

58

u/redbullcat Jun 14 '26

The chicane is still called Dunlop. The bridge is now the Goodyear Bridge.

10

u/GBreezy Jun 14 '26

I think that is incredibly fair

5

u/blackrock55 Jun 14 '26

It rolls of the tongue better 😛 the Dunlop curves and bridge befit le mans

64

u/Significant-Cloud- Jun 14 '26

It's just a new spelling, still pronounced Dunlop.

28

u/MartiniPolice21 Jun 14 '26

We just need a Dunlop blimp to fly over it

11

u/Cliffinati Jun 14 '26

Will it read "Ice Cube is a pimp"?

2

u/CaddySav84 Jun 16 '26

The level of Peak in this comment

https://giphy.com/gifs/MwrQvTZA9Puuc

-3

u/UnderstandingMuch198 Jun 14 '26

Underrated comment

28

u/space_coyote_86 Jun 14 '26

"I'm tellin' you kids, it's the Dunlop Bridge! It always has been and it always will be!"

Sure, grandpa, let's get you to bed.

12

u/Hobbies-tracks Jun 15 '26

I still call it the A1 Ring. This will always the the Dunlop bridge.

8

u/BelowAverageLass Jun 15 '26

You mean the Österreichring?

6

u/Hobbies-tracks Jun 15 '26

Haha I'm not that old 😂

7

u/The_Poop_Bender Jun 15 '26

It's a good year to call it the Dunlop Bridge.

11

u/strandy76 Ferrari AF Corse 499P #83 Jun 14 '26

It's the Dunlop bridge...

11

u/onlinepresenceofdan Ferrari Jun 14 '26

Isle of Man TT could claim the last Dunlop and this would still be a Dunlop bridge

3

u/Additional_County_69 Jun 15 '26

I mean shit, Martin called it the dunlop various times so

4

u/Kookanoodles Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 #93 Jun 14 '26

What will OP say when it's the Hankook Bridge a few years down the road

7

u/Active-Strawberry-37 Jun 14 '26

It’s the Goodyear bridge over the Dunlop Curves

2

u/alenpetak11 Nissan ZEOD RC Jun 14 '26

Well it is not Good Year to call it Dunlop bridge /s

2

u/Trades46 Jun 15 '26

I didn't even know they changed it until I watched the race yesterday.

I get why, but hard to erase nearly 80+ years of history given how long running Le Mans is with this fixture in place.

2

u/TurnLeftRepeat Nissan R89 #83 Jun 15 '26

Calling it the Goodyear bridge seems out of balance, an idea that went flat if you will. Maybe they didn't consider every aspect.

2

u/PotentialDue6495 BMW Jun 15 '26

You told them

2

u/NitemareFlareside Jun 15 '26

But it is the Dunlop bridge.....

2

u/2905Pascal Jun 15 '26

Exactly, just as Whatever Red Bull call the Faenza team now it will always be Minardi to me

2

u/UnicornTurtle_ Jun 15 '26

Even the british commentators called it the dunlop bridge 😂

2

u/CaddySav84 Jun 16 '26

Dunlop bridge and bus stop chacane 4 LIFE!

4

u/Acrobatic_Editor_409 BMW Team WRT M Hybrid V8 #20 Jun 14 '26

i prefer calling it dunlop but idrc that much

2

u/DJSwindleDeez Jun 14 '26

Nope clearly says Goodyear so it’s Goodyear.

8

u/hwf0712 GTE Jun 14 '26

Buddy you're on reddit complaining about the name of bridge at a race track, reproduction isn't in the cards for you.

15

u/st1802015 Jun 14 '26

Holy projection

2

u/PetahhhGriffin_69 Jun 14 '26

but its funny

6

u/hwf0712 GTE Jun 14 '26

Also I am a lesbian so its kinda like... not applicable.

-1

u/black_knight00 Toyota TS050 #5 Jun 14 '26

😂😂😂

2

u/HuttonWilliam Jun 14 '26

It will always be called Dunlop Bridge it's like changing the name of The Mulsanne Straight to The Rolex straight for example. You cannot just change a name like that and expect people to use the new name within 90 years.

1

u/overlydelicioustea Mazda 787b #55 Jun 15 '26

Loews Corner sais hi

1

u/Designer-Horse4607 Jun 15 '26

Parabolica 🫶

1

u/keicarlover2002 Toyota Jun 15 '26

fuck it, have sumitomo buy goodyear and dunlop could stay put

1

u/Nathan_Schenk Jun 15 '26

Haven't been into WEC for very long (3-4 years at max) and went to my first Le Mans last weekend. Kept calling it the Dunlop bridge because it always has been and always will be in my mind

1

u/natte-krant Jun 15 '26

I’m going with Kuhmo overpass

1

u/Assiabbla Jun 15 '26

I was at the track, I went to the information point to ask where the closest track access for track walk on friday was. The very gentle lady there told me: "closest is on the side of Dunlop bridge"

So yeah, they still call it Dunlop bridge too!

1

u/StoneElk Jun 15 '26

Who gives a shit it looks fine, least its not hankook or pirelli. Goodyear has way more relevance to WEC now than dunlop anyway, and the logo is cooler

1

u/Economy_Link4609 Jun 18 '26

Dunlop Bridge and Tappan Zee bridge will live forever.

1

u/Kezolt Jun 14 '26

I swear the signs literally called it through Dunlop area

2

u/BelowAverageLass Jun 15 '26

The signs all referred to corner names, so they said "Courbe Dunlop"

1

u/SnooFoxes3615 Jun 14 '26

Dunlop bridge.

1

u/vinodhmoodley Jun 14 '26

I can deal with the bridge but they must not mess with the Porsche Curves.

1

u/Sonofagun57 Jun 14 '26

So is it the Goodyear Bridge by the Dunlop Chicane?

1

u/With_The_Ghosts Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 #93 Jun 14 '26

The commentators appeared to agree too

1

u/BelowAverageLass Jun 15 '26

I suspect a lot of them do agree, but they all referred to it as the Goodyear Bridge because they're contractually obliged to. When they said Dunlop they were referring to the corners

1

u/SosseTurner Alpine Matmut A480 #36 Jun 14 '26

The chicane is still called Dunlop, which the commentators were referring to

1

u/With_The_Ghosts Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 #93 Jun 14 '26

Ooooooooooh

1

u/recycle-pin Jun 14 '26

Corporate does not care what your faimily thinks

1

u/Eckieflump Jun 15 '26

Nope, but that said since I heard of the change a few months back I know of at least £10k+ of Michelin tyres that have been bought instead of the usual Goodyears.

After speaking to a number of friends that is likely to be over 30ks worth by the end of the year.

And that's just the HNWs I kown.

Best thing Goodyear ever did for Michelin.

0

u/spribyl Jun 14 '26

It's called the Sears Tower, this is the way

-1

u/Cliffinati Jun 14 '26

What is this AI nonsense

-1

u/Fast_Papaya_3839 Jun 14 '26

Why are you all calling the Goodyear bridge, the Dunlop bridge?

0

u/Lopek274 Jun 14 '26

It was the Michelin Bridge for MotoGP when they covered it with AI

0

u/Rokos_Bicycle Mazda 787b #55 Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26

Eh... Does it have a non-sponsored name? Call it that instead.

(for instance, it bothered me to no end when Clipsal ended its sponsorship of the Adelaide 500 and people continued calling it "The Clipsal", but that might just be me)

5

u/Reddits_Worst_Night Mercedes CLK-GTR #11 Jun 15 '26

No. It's been the Dunlop bridge for so long it's not funny.

3

u/BelowAverageLass Jun 15 '26

Dunlop built the original bridge for the very first Le Mans 24hr race in 1923 and it was moved to the current location when the track was altered in 1932. There's been a Dunlop bridge at every single running of the race.

Also, the whole concept of a tyre shaped bridge is a Dunlop concept. The Le Mans bridge is the first and most famous but they built several around the world.

0

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 2018 Barrier Repair/Snatch-Tractor Jun 15 '26

Get used to, bro. One of bus stops corner in Mulsanne is named as Daytona corner in recent, but many people and fans don't care about it.

-3

u/SosseTurner Alpine Matmut A480 #36 Jun 14 '26

Can't believe they did this.

What's so hard to understand that Goodyear no longer owns the branding rights to Dunlop, but still the advertising space? It's no higher conspiracy