Hankook Tire expands European motorsport engagement
From this year, the Formula Renault Eurocup will race on Hankook tyres
For the past eight years, Hankook Tire has acted as exclusive tyre partner for the DTM touring car series. This year, the tyre maker is complementing its DTM commitment with involvement in four further championships – the Formula Renault Eurocup, Belcar Series, Mini Challenge Italia and the new, all-female W Series.
The Formula Renault Eurocup racing series includes ten race weekends at iconic racetracks such as Silverstone, Monza, Hockenheim and Monaco, as well as an international round in Abu Dhabi. Previously supplied by Michelin, Hankook Ventus Race tyres will now be fitted to all competing cars, which from this season utilise a Formula 3 chassis and a new 1.8-litre turbocharged engine.
The Belcar series, which includes the Belgian Endurance Championship, takes place in Belgium and the Netherlands and is contested by a mix of protos, GTs and Touring Cars. As of this year, the series will use the Hankook Ventus Race as its tyre of choice.
The Ventus Race has also been selected for the Mini Challenge Italia. The series comprises of six events in Italy, with the final round taking place in Monza on 20 October.
In keeping with the motto ‘full speed ahead for women’, Hankook is also equipping the newly-launched W Series from the outset with its racing tyres. It will supply the Ventus Race (F200 slick and Z217 wet), in sizes VA 230/560-13 and HA 280/580-13. The single-seater series for female drivers features six rounds and starts exclusively on the DTM support programme.
“Motorsport is an important part of the DNA of Hankook and the DTM offers us an excellent platform, on which to perfectly demonstrate the performance of our high-end tyres and our expertise at a top international level,” says Han-Jun Kim, president of Hankook Tire Europe. “We are always on the lookout for interesting series and formats, in order to further develop these with our premium products. The partnership with the newly-formed W Series is particularly impressive. We are pleased to be involved in the pioneering work being done in this area.”
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