Trelleborg celebrates agricultural expertise at ‘Tractor Driver of the Year 2023’

Trelleborg, a global tire leader in agriculture, marked the end of the fifth edition of its exclusive “Tractor Driver of the Year 2023” competition held at the Cremona Circuit in Italy on November 25th.

The event brought together 40 tractor drivers from all over Italy to test their driving expertise and the performance of Trelleborg tires in real-world agricultural conditions.

The Cremona Circuit, a professional racetrack, is the ideal setting for this competition and this year saw Stefano Poggio from Alessandria (Piemonte) winner. Drivers are rewarded for their ability to maneuver agricultural machinery equipped with Trelleborg tires in the fastest time over four challenging tests in the field: maneuvering, hoisting, reversing & maneuvering with a trailer, and stability. The stability challenge showcases Trelleborg’s PneuTrac®, a hybrid solution between a radial agricultural tire and a track, known for its excellent performance on both slopes and muddy terrain.

This year Trelleborg’s technical partner was Fendt, providing all tractors used for the competition: Fendt 516 Vario, Fendt Cargo T740, Fendt 942 Vario and the Fendt 211 P Vario tractor, equipped with PneuTrac® tires, in sizes VF 420 / 70R28, VF 280 / 70R20, both front and rear.

Daniela Gambatesa, Marketing Manager Italy of Yokohama TWS, stated: “Once again, our ‘Tractor Driver of the Year’ event was a huge success. It has now become an annual must-attend event for agricultural professionals, with a record number of registrations received within just a few hours of the launch date. We are very pleased with the increasingly positive response from end users, who are our focus. This year features the special participation of Giulia Tonello, a young well-known farmer from Asolo (Veneto), and OmniTrattore.it contributor. Dedicated to her family farming business, she has captured the attention of millions of enthusiasts in the agricultural sector online.

Giulia Tonello’s participation in the Trelleborg “Tractor Driver of the Year” competition and her subsequent designation as the first-ever female tractor driver of the year stand as a powerful testament to the fact that agriculture is open to everyone, regardless of gender. We are impressed by Giulia Tonello’s drive and dedication, and we hope that many more women will be encouraged to participate in the next edition of our event, helping to support a more inclusive and diverse agricultural industry.”