At the start of October, to mark the end of the 2025 season, the Austone and Fortune Tires marketing team invited customers from Spain, Portugal and Ireland to experience a European Truck Racing Championship weekend.
Partnership with Garrett Trucksport Sparks Positivity
An overall feeling of positivity prevailed inside the Austone and Fortune Tires camp after a busy first season sponsoring Garrett Trucksport that took them from Misano, Italy to Slovakia and finally to Madrid. During the season, the brands owned by Prinx Chengshan had the opportunity to invite business partners and customers from across Europe to experience the European Truck Racing Championship. Jarama rounded off the 2025 campaign where customers, partners and colleagues from several European countries came together to celebrate a successful first year.
“Jarama was overall a fantastic event and a strong conclusion to the 2025 season,” said Thomas Wohlgemuth, Managing Director Europe for both tyre brands.
Guests at the event included S. José Pneus, the Fortune importer for the Iberian market, and Tiresur S.L., Austone’s partner for the same region. From Ireland, Euro Tyre Sales and Cork Tyre Wholesale were present. Sean O’Connell himself was also there watching the race and representing the PRINX brand in Ireland – another brand in the Prinx Chengshan portfolio.
Building Connections and Brand Loyalty Trackside in Jarama
“Throughout the entire weekend, both Fortune and Austone were highly visible in the paddock and hospitality area,” said Ari Salah, Marketing Manager for both brands in Europe. “The team sponsorship is really paying off. The combination of two days of thrilling racing, VIP hospitality, a relaxed atmosphere, and warm friendliness builds personal connections that are hard to establish in everyday business. Each ETRC race weekend has been a wonderful opportunity to make personal connections and celebrate the season’s successes together.
“We hosted our guests with exclusive access to the paddock, the races, and the racing team, as well as two evening dinners in Madrid,” she added.
Miguel Melo, Sales Manager at S. José Pneus said: “The Spanish Truck Grand Prix was an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships with clients, share experiences, and deepen our understanding of the Fortune brand and its positioning in the professional segment. The perfectly organised event provided a highly professional environment where we could highlight teamwork, passion for the industry, and the strong partnership with Fortune Tires. An unforgettable weekend!”
Francisco García, General Manager of Tiresur, sees Austone as being well on its way “to establishing itself as a reference in its segment.” He explained: “The brand has high technological standards and great growth potential in our market. For this reason, we continue to drive its strategic development on the Iberian Peninsula. The weekend in Jarama was an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas with the team from Prinx Chengshan.”
The Track Success
Sponsored by both tyre brands, Garrett Trucksport impressed throughout the season with their performance despite recurring clutch issues. Luke Garrett’s first-ever Chrome victory in Zolder, Belgium was the highlight of the 2025 ETRC season for the team.
On the 2025 season, Garrett said, “Our partnership with Austone and Fortune Tires has been instrumental in our growth — both on and off the track. Their support allows us to compete at the highest level while showcasing their products across Europe’s premier truck racing stages.”
As for the support and partnership Garrett Trucksport has developed alongside Austone and Fortune Tires, Garrett commented: “We would like to thank Austone Tires and Fortune Tires, part of PRINX Chengshan Tire Europe GmbH, as well as Thomas Wohlgemuth, Adrian Costache, and Ari Salah for their massive support and belief in the team. Without them, this season’s progress would not have been possible. Also, to my team and my team manager Darrel Stamp for the continued hard work and dedication.
A Winning Partnership
2025 marked the first season of Prinx Chengshan’s partnership with the FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC), with its brands Austone and Fortune Tires joining as title sponsors of a leading truck racing team — a collaboration set to continue into 2026.
Truck racing offers a uniquely valuable platform for tyre brands, bringing together not only motorsport enthusiasts but also key commercial audiences such as truck drivers, fleet operators, and logistics managers. Research from Nielsen shows a direct correlation between brand awareness, consideration, and sales growth, while other studies reveal that 80% of motorsport fans feel a stronger connection with brands that support their favourite teams.
By sponsoring Garrett TruckSport, Austone and Fortune are positioned directly in front of their core audience — professionals who value performance, reliability, and innovation. The FIA ETRC attracts around 350,000 spectators each season, with extensive coverage on TV and digital platforms such as DAZN, providing powerful and targeted exposure for the brands. Beyond visibility, the partnership enables Austone and Fortune to gather customer insights and strengthen relationships through engaging, experience-based interactions.
