Stories
The Story of Apr, 2024
30 Apr 2024
Victory with strong Hankook performance: Mitch Evans wins the Monaco E-Prix
The principality of Monaco hosted race eight of the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The 3.337-kilometre track around the harbour and through the narrow streets of the glamorous city state on the Mediterranean is one of the highlights of the World Championship calendar. In unsettled but dry conditions, with temperatures around 17 degrees Celsius, the 22 drivers once again put on a great show for the fans around the circuit, creating a superb advertisement for the fully-electric series. Despite the many corners and narrow sections, there were still many changes of position to delight the crowds. At the end of a superb race, Jaguar driver Mitch Evans from New Zealand emerged as the delighted winner. The 29-year-old took full advantage of the strong performance of the Hankook iON Race, using the high grip levels to hold off his rivals and claim the eleventh victory of his Formula E career. Teammate and compatriot Nick Cassidy followed in second place ahead of Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske).
Highlights of the Monaco E-Prix: https://youtu.be/eXkjH4fV_N8
High grip level of the Hankook iON Race makes for thrilling Formula E races at Misano premiere
Two thrilling races delighted spectators as Misano, on the Italian Adriatic coast, hosted its first double-header in the Formula E World Championship. After numerous changes of position, it was Porsche driver António Félix da Costa from Portugal who crossed the finish line first after 28 laps of racing on the Saturday. The 32-year-old was able to push right through to the finish, thanks to the high grip level of the Hankook iON Race. However, roughly five hours after the race, the Portuguese driver was disqualified because a spring on the power pedal did not conform to regulations. The drivers who finished behind him were consequently promoted one position, leaving Britain’s Oliver Rowland to be declared the winner. On Sunday, the crowds were treated to a breath-taking finale: Rowland led until the final lap, when he ran out of energy. He dropped back through the field, and Porsche driver Pascal Wehrlein came through to take the win. The German quickly got the Hankook iON Race into the optimal working window and was constantly among the front-runners for 26 laps. This was the 29-year-old’s second victory of the season.
Highlights of the Misano E-Prix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn59gOIskis
Double podium for Hankook Competition at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers
Impressive start on one of the most demanding racetracks in Germany – the Nordschleife: The Hankook Competition team ran a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the first time at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers from 13th to 14th April, and immediately claimed two podiums in the SP-X class. Alternating at the wheel of the 911 was an international crew from Canada, the Netherlands and Korea. In preparation for the 24-hour race at the start of June, the team used the two four-hour races to find the best possible set-up for the premium Hankook Ventus Race tyre. The trio gathered important data, particularly in race one, as the track started to cool in the twilight. After two flawless races with a very high grip level from the Hankook race tyre, the team twice finished runner-up in its class.
Impressive victory for Max McRae on his FIA Junior ERC debut
The opening round of this season’s FIA Junior ERC saw the young drivers and Hankook line up at the Rally Hungary from 12th to 14th April. Up until the fifth special stage, it was Estonian Jasper Vahar who had held the lead in a Ford Fiesta Rally4. However, the strong performance of the Hankook tyre allowed Britain’s Max McRae to make up a lot of time and take the lead on SS6. By the time he completed the final stage, the 19-year-old had opened an impressive advantage of 1:40.6 minutes and celebrated his first victory in the junior championship. That success means McRae travels to Spain and the Rally Islas Canarias (2nd to 4th May) as championship leader.
Highlights of the Rally Hungary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EyFnV-PL6Q
Jansen and Poland impress on the Hankook tyre at the Supercar Challenge opener
The drivers in the Supercar Challenge were at Circuit Zandvoort on the Dutch North Sea coast from 12th to 14th April for the first two races of the season on Hankook’s premium tyre. First across the finish line in the opening race was Dutchman Dane Arendsen in a Ligier JS P3 LMP3. He was followed home in second place by his compatriots Mex Jansen and Jordin Poland in a BMW M6 GT3. After narrowly missing out on victory the previous day, that duo set the pace in race two and won with a commanding lead of over a lap. Jansen and Poland will line up as championship leaders when the series travels to Oschersleben, Germany, for the first foreign round of the season from 10th to 12th May.
Highlight reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5xyYyNNxbr/
Perfect conditions for season-opener: Reeh and Steinert claim first overall victory
Circuit Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) kicked off the new season on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife on 13th April with a field of roughly 160 cars and in glorious sunshine and springlike conditions. With Hankook as official tyre partner of the series, the drivers, including former German football international Max Kruse, were once again able to depend on the reliable performance of the Hankook Ventus Race. Julain Reeh and Sascha Steinert, in particular, benefitted from the high grip level of the premium tyre, as they guided their Porsche 997 GT3 to the first overall victory of the season in the popular grassroots championship.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KcQBnV3gOs
Hankook remains official tyre partner of Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe in 2024
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe kicked off the second successive season with Hankook as official tyre partner at Autodromo di Imola from 19th to 21st April. 52 cars – surely a record – took part in the season-opener and produced some thrilling motorsport at the cult Italian circuit. Sweden’s Oliver Söderström and Largim Ali from Denmark enjoyed a virtually perfect weekend. The Scandinavian duo used the plentiful grip provided by the Hankook race tyre to take victory in race one, and added a further podium with second place in the Sunday race. Victory in race two went to Frenchman Amaury Bonduel, who won last year’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals. The sports cars from Sant’Agata Bolognese next line up at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium from 9th to 11th May.
Highlights of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_49yvDKbC9o
Highlights of race 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGopbJsp_aU
Ramos and Di Mauro triumph in Interlagos
Round three of the Stock Car Pro Series featured two exciting races at Autódromo de Interlagos in Brazil from 19th to 21st April. The 30-minute sprint saw last year’s champion Gabriel Casagrande embroiled in a spectacular battle with Cesar Ramos (both Brazil) at the front of the field. With help from the perfect grip level of the Hankook Ventus Race, Ramos eventually came out on top and took victory ahead of Brazil’s former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, while a technical issue with Casagrande’s car brought his race to a premature end. In the main race, spectators were treated to similarly exciting action, with Brazilian Gaetano Di Mauro emerging victorious. Julio Capos from Brazil is the current championship leader with 198 points.
Highlights Rennen 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ke-1jBL7uo
Highlights Rennen 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trn88WjKRqA
Long shift for the Hankook wet tyre: CP Racing defies the poor weather
After a sunny start to the season in Mugello, the protagonists in the 24H Series powered by Hankook endured four seasons in one weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, from 19th to 21st April. In extremely unsettled and difficult conditions, the wet tyre provided by premium manufacturer Hankook stood up to the challenge and supported the 46 cars with the best possible grip in all the sessions. The CP Racing team really caught the eye in the twelve-hour race. Starting from 23rd place, Americans Charles Putman, Charles Espenlaub, Joe Foster and Shane Lewis used the Hankook Ventus Race to work their way through the field, before taking the lead in the final third of the race. The quartet in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 went on to take the chequered flag as winners after 224 laps of racing.
Re-Live Rennen Teil 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6sl7JYXgsU
Re-Live Rennen Teil 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se04BBWCYWA
Sagrera wins in tricky conditions at the opening round of this season’s Eurocup-3
Rain, hail and snow dominated the season-opener in Eurocup-3 at Spa-Francorchamps from 19th to 20th April. As a result, the Hankook wet tyre was immediately in action in the first race. The start took place after three laps behind the safety car. Hankook’s premium tyre displaced a lot of water over the course of the seven-lap race, allowing the drivers to safely negotiate the 7.004-kilometre “Ardennes Rollercoaster”. As a result, Spaniard Javier Sargrera and Kazakhstan’s Alexander Abkhazava were able to produce a thrilling battle for the lead, even in poor visibility. Sargrera came home ahead of Abkhazava in the only race of the weekend. The second race will be held later in the season during another event, which is yet to be decided.
Highlights Spa-Francorchamps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UddZe6p9CB4