International endurance racing season kicks off in Abu Dhabi with the new Hankook race tire

- High-class field at Formula 1 venue Yas Marina Circuit
- The new C54 H premium tire is even better than its predecessor
- Collaboration between Hankook and Creventic enters its second decade

Seoul, Korea, January 19, 2024 – The 24H Series powered by Hankook gets the 2024 season underway on the 20^th and 21^st of January with the 6H Abu Dhabi. The Formula 1 circuit will host a race in the internationally renowned endurance series for the fourth time, with over 40 cars set to go racing in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. At the Yas Marina Circuit, Hankook’s new tire – the C54 H – will make its first appearance outside of Europe, where it enjoyed a successful debut at the Hankook 24H Barcelona in 2023. Weighing less than its predecessor, the new tire’s softer compound gives it even more grip, allowing faster lap times. At the same time, the structure of the C54 H has been optimized in numerous tests and, while offering even better performance, boasts a similar mileage as the previous flagship, the Ventus F200.

The 5.281-kilometer track in the Abu Dhabi desert boasts a captivating mix of high-speed sections and technically demanding corners. One feature of the state-of-the-art facility is the pit lane exit, which runs under the track itself. In a strong field, several teams harbor aspirations of overall victory at the Hankook 6H Abu Dhabi. The winning team from the inaugural year in 2021, Car Collection Motorsport, is back for more and will be looking to repeat that triumph with the tried-and-tested Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II and a new Porsche 911 GT3 R (type 992).

Last year, Herberth Motorsport fought back strongly to finish runner-up from 19^th on the grid. They are aiming to go one better and finish on the top step of the podium in Abu Dhabi with a Porsche 911 GT3 R (type 992). One team highly fancied to finish at the front end of the field is CP Racing. The team not only won the opening round of the 2023/2024 Middle East Trophy in Kuwait in December 2023, but also made history in the process. Their Mercedes-AMG GT3 crossed the finish line just 0.537 seconds clear of the second-placed car, making it the narrowest winning margin in the history of the 24H Series powered by Hankook.

The Hankook 6H Abu Dhabi is round two of the Middle East Trophy, which kicked off in December 2023 with the Hankook 12H Kuwait and concludes with the third and final event in Dubai. The traditional season-opener and endurance classic has been postponed until the 26^th to 28^th of January 2024, as the ships carrying the cars and equipment have had to take a major diversion due to the political unrest in the Red Sea. As a result, the Hankook 24H Dubai forms the finale of this year’s Middle East Trophy. The 24H Series powered by Hankook will then continue at five renowned circuits in Europe.

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “Abu Dhabi marks the start of a new decade in our collaboration with promoter Creventic. We entered our 11^th year together at Yas Marina Circuit, one of the most impressive racetracks in the world. Since the start of the cooperation in 2014, the 24H Series has developed consistently and is now one of the most important endurance racing series in the world. A strong field lines up at the Hankook 6H Abu Dhabi and all the classes will be fiercely contested. With the new and even better C54 H race tire and the experienced team on site, Hankook will help ensure that spectators are treated to a motorsport spectacle at the opening event of the year.”

Hankook 6H Abu Dhabi schedule (local time)
Saturday, 20^th January
09:00 to 10:30 Free practice, all classes
17:10 - 17:25 Qualifying 1, all classes
17:30 - 17:45 Qualifying 2, all classes
17:50 - 18:05 Qualifying 3, all classes

Sunday, 21^st January
10:00 - 16:00 Hankook 6H Abu Dhabi