Bridgestone takes over from Hankook as SuperTaikyu tyre supplier after factory fire
Hankook only announced that it had become Euroforumula tyre supplier a week or so before the tyre fire at its Daejeon factory. Euroformula has not commented on whether or to what extent the tyre fire has impacted suppy (Photo: Euroformula)
The Hankook logo remains at the top of the SuperTaikyu official website, but the South Korean tyre manufacturer has backed away from supplying the Japanese endurance racing series after its production was hit by a serious fire at its Daejeon factory roughly six weeks ago.
Indeed, the 12 March fire was so serious that the official SuperTaikyu statement suggests it will “at least a year and a half to supply” the Japanese series’ racing tyres.
Around the same time SuperTaikyu was deciding its tyre supplier for 2024. Despite Hankook’s improvements to the series’ wet and dry tyres, having heard from Hankook that tyre supply would not be possible, SuperTaikyu opted for Bridgestone as the official tyre supplier from 2024. And in order to keep the 2023 season series going, SuperTaikyu brought Bridgestone’s tyre supply deal forward to fill the gap left after the Hankook tyre fire.
As a result, Bridgestone Potenza tyres will be in use in the series from tyre testing on 28 April 2023 onwards. At this point a mixture of Hankook and Bridgestone tyres will be used. From 27 May onwards, only Hankook wet tyres will be used. And the season goes fully to Bridgestone in July.
For SuperTaikyu the Hankook tyre fire had threatened the completion of the 2023 season, Super Endurance Organization secretary general Harumi Kuwayama explained:
“I was in a situation where I could not realize the discontinuation of the 2023 season…Miraculously, we will continue to hold the 2023 season. During this time, I was encouraged by the understanding of the team and partner companies…We would like to thank Hankook for supporting the series for about two years, and we wish you a quick recovery.”
While Hankook runs tyre factories in Europe and the USA, the Daejon plant is said to be the company’s central manufacturing base for the majority of its motorsport tyres. For that reasons, about a month ago, Hankook notified the series that will experience supply impact. These include: Formula 3-level Euroformula and Super Formula Lights, Formula Regional Americas, the new FRegional-based Eurocup-3 series and the Spanish and United States Formula 4 championships.
Hankook only announced that it had become Euroforumula tyre supplier a week or so before the tyre fire at its Daejeon factory. Back then Jesús Pareja, CEO of GT Sport, commented: “We are delighted to start cooperating with Hankook Tire, a key global player in motorsports. I am sure it will play a crucial role in the success of the present and future Euroformula Open. The tests conducted so far with the Dallara 320 prove that the performance, reliability and drivability standards of their tires are perfectly in line with the Euroformula requirements.”
Neither Euroformula, Super Formula Lights, Formula Regional Americas, Eurocup-3 series not the Spanish and US Formula 4 championships have commented on how the Hankook factory fire has affected their tyre supply.
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