The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced the formation of its new Global Racing organization, an initiative that unifies all its motorsport operations under a single global structure. This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter in Goodyear’s racing legacy, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, performance and excellence on the track and beyond, company officials stated in a press release.
Xavier Fraipont will lead the newly formed organization as vice president, Global Racing. Fraipont will guide the team’s strategic direction while aligning its efforts with Goodyear’s broader product and brand vision, noted the release.
With nearly three decades of experience across racing and product development, Fraipont brings deep industry knowledge and a proven track record in the Goodyear family of brands. Goodyear says that Fraipoint’s expertise positions him to evolve and grow the company’s motorsport strategy, unifying its teams supporting NASCAR, NHRA, WEC (LMGT3 class) and BTCC leaders into one cohesive effort. Goodyear also recently announced a multiyear partnership with Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR).
Fraipoint Will Report to the SVP & CTO at Goodyear
To foster seamless collaboration between technical innovation and brand strategy, Fraipont will report jointly to Chris Helsel, senior vice president and chief technical officer, and Will Roland, senior vice president and chief marketing officer.
“Goodyear has been synonymous with car racing since the very beginning of our history,” said Helsel. “With Xavier’s deep expertise and leadership at the helm, we’re advancing our commitment to innovation—enhancing performance and elevating our competitive edge worldwide.”
Global Racing Builds on Goodyear’s Racing Legacy
Goodyear says that its motorsport legacy lives on through its role as the exclusive tire supplier for some of the world’s most prestigious racing series.
“Motorsport is a central pillar of our brand strategy,” said Roland. “It’s where our technology, performance and brand identity converge. The best and fastest tires in the world have Goodyear written all over them, and racing provides the ultimate proving ground, demonstrating the speed, precision and reliability that define our products.”
Backed by more than a century of racing heritage, Goodyear Racing is charting a unified, future-focused motorsport strategy designed to fuel innovation, amplify brand impact and drive strategic growth across the company, officials said.