Stories
The Story of July, 2024
31 Jul 2024
Audi enjoys a successful Bangsaen Grand Prix with the Hankook Ventus Race
The Thailand Super Series was at the challenging Bangsaen Street Circuit from 3rd to 7th July for round two of this year’s championship. A total of six different series on the programme for the Bangsaen Grand Prix were able to depend on the reliability of the Hankook tyre. Manufacturer Audi tasted victory twice in the GT3 class, the top category in the Thailand Super Series. Sandy Stuvik (Thailand) and Deng Yi (China) used the high grip level of the premium tyre to win race three of the season at the 3.740-kilometre circuit to the southeast of Bangkok. With the Chinese pairing of Lu Wenlong and Li Xuanyu at the wheel, it was another Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 that benefitted from the high performance of the Hankook tyre in the closing stages and took victory in race two of the weekend. The Thai duo of Piti Bhirombhadki and Kusiri Kantasak emerged as the new championship leaders with 66 points.
Full replay of Saturday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TxucvuK1sk
Full replay of Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohWm2dMuzjE
First win of the season on plentiful Hankook grip: Saintéloc triumphs in Misano
Victory number one for the Saintéloc Junior Team – the French outfit won the Hankook 12H Misano (5th to 7th July) in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo to claim its first success in the 24h Series powered by Hankook. Austrian Michael Doppelmayr and the three German drivers Pierre Kaffer, Elia Erhart and Swen Herberger shared the driving duties during the 12-hour endurance race. With the support of the impressive Hankook Ventus Race, the quartet was able to push their GT3 car to the limit and clinch the win, despite high temperatures at the 4.226-kilometre track on the Italian Adriatic coast. This success saw the winners close to within 32 points of championship leaders Herberth Motorsport. The finale of the 2024 season, the Hankook 24H in Barcelona, takes place from 13th to 15th September.
Full replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHLZElAL39M
Home success for Jaspar Vaher at the Rally Estonia
Jaspar Vahar (Estonia) produced an impressive display at round four of this season’s FIA Junior ERC, which formed part of the Rally Estonia from 5th to 7th July. He took the lead on the second special stage, before guiding his Ford Fiesta Rally4 to success on the Estonian gravel with the support of the Hankook tyre. He took full advantage of the excellent grip right through to the finish and secured his first win of the season. Second place went to Sweden’s Calle Carlberg in an Opel Corsa Rally4. Third place meant a fourth podium of the season for championship leader Mille Johansson from Sweden, who now tops the table with 102 points. The battle for the title in the junior championship continues from 30th August to 1st September at the Rali Ceredigion in Great Britain.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfjZEGpA8i0
NXT Gen Cup serves up four helpings of race action at the Norisring
The youngsters in the NXT Gen Cup enjoyed a successful start to the season with Hankook as official tyre partner at the Norisring in Germany from 5th to 7th July. The temporary street circuit in Nuremberg was the venue for four entertaining races, which thrilled the big crowds in the grandstands. The opening race of the season ended with a dramatic photo finish between Dutch drivers Lukas Stiefelhagen and Calvin De Groot. Boosted by the strong performance of the Hankook tyre, Stiefelhagen took the first win of the season by a mere 0.037 seconds. Denmark’s Victor Nielsen won races two and four. In race three, De Groot was out for revenge against his compatriot Stiefelhagen, resulting in another spectacular showdown. De Groot came out on top in the end, crossing the finish line 0.109 seconds ahead of Stiefelhagen. The thrilling action was watched by many employees of official tyre partner Hankook. Filip Pawelka (Director Marketing Communication Europe) attended the podium ceremony and presented the trophies to the successful drivers in the innovative electric racing series.
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIK2iTpxYes
Full replay of race 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h4pgVBMBk
Full replay of race 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuBw7rx_Mrk
Full replay of race 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L0XyT9j1DE
Stunning spectacle at the Hankook 25 Hours Fun Cup: SP Consulting by SRS takes victory at the highlight of the season
Impressive field at the Hankook 25 Hours Fun Cup at the start of July: no fewer than 101 cars, all fitted with Hankook tyres, stormed through the world-famous Eau Rouge passage at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium during round five of the Fun Cup. As they have done so often in recent years, the racing Beetles again produced a thrilling race with many spectacular battles for position. The SP Consulting by SRS team pulled off the biggest coup of the season highlight: with Belgian drivers Mathieu Detry, Matts Breckpot, Matteo Raspatelli, Jérémy Peclers and Stéphane Perrin from France at the wheel, the number 888 car pulled off an impressive fightback, thanks in part to the performance and grip of the Hankook tyre. The quintet battled back from 25th place to cross the finish line as winners after 25 hours of racing. Round six of the season takes place from 20th to 21st September in Anneau du Rhin.
Rocca and Park triumph at round three of the season in Mugello
The race action was just as hot at the ambient temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius when TCR Italy visited Mugello, Italy, from 13th to 14th July. The two races at the third event of the season not only had the drivers sweating, but also the delighted fans in the grandstands. The 25 competitors served up a feast of entertainment, with some spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. Italian Paolo Rocca in a Honda Civic FL5 soon got the Hankook Ventus Race into the perfect working window and took victory in race one with lead of 4.395 seconds. On the Sunday, Korean Junesung Park claimed his first win of the season in a Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Nicola Baldan from Italy used the high grip level provided by the Hankook tyre in both races, and twice finished runner-up. Baldan’s haul of 70 points was sufficient to move him to the top of the table ahead of his compatriot Salvatore Tavano, who had to settle for two ninth places and a meagre 26 points. The title race is now a four-way battle, with just 25 points separating Baldan (175 points) and fourth-placed Ruben Volt from Estonia.
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ONg48irwg
Full replay of race 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Bf41ICT4M
Double success for Hankook at 50th anniversary of the Bohemia Rally
Czech drivers Dominik Stříteský and Filip Mareš demonstrated the high technological standard and performance of the Hankook tyre at the 51st Bohemia Rally. In the battle with other tyre manufacturers, Stříteský and his Škoda Fabia RS Rally came out on top against a strong field at the iconic Czech rally in Mladá Boleslav. Second place went to his compatriot Mareš in a Toyota Yaris Rally2, which was also equipped with Hankook’s quality tyres and benefitted from the high levels of grip on various different surfaces. The one-two with two different cars is a clear indication that the correct tyre choice can be instrumental in achieving success.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDplMgxYdBE
World champion with Hankook: Pascal Wehrlein wins the world title in London
Confetti showers, thunderous applause and tears of joy from the new world champion. Pascal Wehrlein from the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team celebrated his first world title in the top fully-electric racing series at the grand finale of the Formula E season – the Hankook London E-Prix. This was the biggest success of the 29-year-old German’s motorsport career to date. “This is unbelievable. For weeks, I have told myself every day that we were going to do it. This weekend was just awesome. We had good pace. I am super happy with the tyre, which was good,” said the new world champion, full of praise for the Hankook iON Race. Wehrlein won the opening race of the final double-header of the 2024 season on Saturday; second place went to New Zealand’s Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) who, like the Porsche driver, came into the event with 155 points to his name. On the Sunday, it was Britain’s Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) who took the chequered flag and victory in front of his home fans. Third place for Wehrlein was enough to make him the first German winner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Highlights of race 15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT-d9sezyHc
Highlights of race 16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14r73tVLD5A
Reliable, fast and good-looking: the Hankook iON Race
Its colourful accents make the Hankook iON Race a real eye-catcher. However, the premium tyre does not just look amazing: since its debut in the Formula E World Championship in 2022, there has not been a single puncture, for which the tyre was responsible. Its exceptional reliability means the drivers in the fully-electric racing series have absolute faith in the tyre. As well as the durability, the tyre also boasts impressive grip levels, allowing the drivers to push their Formula E cars to the limit at different tracks, on different surfaces and in different temperatures. “The tyre adapts to its surroundings like a chameleon, and always provides ideal grip conditions. There have been a total of 32 races, 32 qualifying sessions and 55 free practices, and not a single puncture, for which we were to blame. That is impressive,” said Manfred Sandbichler (Hankook Senior Director Motorsport).
Mercedes-AMG wins the 25th Aurum 1006 km powered by Hankook
The 25th edition of the Aurum 1006 km powered by Hankook took place in Lithuania from 17th to 20th July. The prestigious event in the city of Palanga is regarded as the most important motorsport event in the Baltic region and attracts large crowds every year. The high grip level of the Hankook Ventus Race was evident as early as qualifying, as the track record was broken not once, but twice. During the endurance race, regular changes at the head of the field, with the support of the Hankook tyre, made for constant tension. The STATETA BRO-TOKS by IGNERA team was particularly impressive in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and crossed the finish line first after 373 laps of racing. Alternating at the wheel of the GT3 car were Denmark’s Anders Fjordbach, Tim Whale from Great Britain, and Lithuanians Julius Adomavičius and Nemunas Dagilis.
Full race replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlKfYTc2UaY
Unsettled conditions: Hankook Ventus Race performs strongly at the Nürburgring
From 26th to 28th July, the Hankook Ventus Race demonstrated its great qualities at round four of this season’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe at the Nürburgring. Amaury Bonduel from France started Saturday’s opening race from pole position in pouring rain. The ever-reliable Hankook tyre allowed Bonduel, Oliver Söderström (Sweden) and Largim Ali (Denmark) to fight it out for victory in a breathtaking battle that lasted many laps. In the end, it was the Frenchman who crossed the finish line first, followed by the Scandinavian. The Eifel was at its best on the Sunday, with glorious sunshine and fantastic conditions for the drivers. Egor Orudzhev from Kyrgyzstan impressed with a fine fightback. He made optimal use of the high grip level provided by the Hankook tyre to convert eleventh place on the grid into a highly-acclaimed victory. Bonduel crossed the finish line in second place, extending his lead at the top of the table in the process. Next up for the drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe is Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain from 11th to 13th October.
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHNsAEGREgw
Full replay of race 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuUL1KlBSmE
Barrichello and defending champion Casagrande triumph with Hankook in Goiânia
Autódromo de Goiânia in Brazil hosted round six of the Stock Car Pro Series from 26th to 28th July. Even with outside temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius, the drivers in this high-class championship were able to depend on the reliable grip of the Hankook Ventus Race. Brazilian Dudu Barrichello took the chequered flag in the sprint race on Saturday, ahead of his compatriots Julio Campos and Ricardo Zonta. Last year’s champion Gabriel Casagrande from Brazil won race twelve of the season on the Sunday, with support from the Hankook tyre. Second place went to former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, ahead of Daniel Serra (both Brazil). With six events remaining, Campos (499 points) holds a slender five-point lead over Zonta, with Massa a further ten points back. The small margins between the top three drivers mean the next event, from 17th to 18th August in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, is set to be a thrilling contest.
Highlights of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tr4speV_Bc&t=223s
Highlights of race 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Cq-ceOiX8
Sagrera remains on course for the title after a busy July
There was little time for a breather in July for the youngsters in the Eurocup-3 and the Hankook Ventus Race. The drivers contested three rounds in France, the Netherlands and Spain. First up, from 5th to 7th July, was the fourth event of the season at Circuit Paul Ricard. Spaniard Bruno Del Pino and Christian Ho from Singapore were victorious near the French coast. The protagonists then headed to Circuit Zandvoort (13th to 14th July) on the North Sea coast, where Spain’s Javier Sagrera made the best use of the outstanding grip level of the Hankook tyre and won both races. The European tour drew to a close at Motorland Aragón (26th to 28th July) in Spain. Jesse Carrasquedo from Mexico claimed his first victory of the season in the Saturday race. Sagrera triumphed again on the Sunday to extend his lead at the top of the championship. The series now takes a summer break, before the crucial phase of the championship gets underway from 4th to 6th October in Jerez, Spain.
Highlights from Circuit Paul Ricard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6w78gyhq8M
Highlights from Circuit Zandvoort: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-BBUbwY3ZI
Full replay of race 1 Motorland Aragón: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3xlV65gvfM
Full replay of race 2 Motorland Aragón: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XknIOdZQaR0
Al Azhari heads into the summer break as championship leader
July had two events in store for the young drivers in the Spanish Formula 4 championship. The first of these took place from 5th to 7th July at the 5.842-kilometre circuit in Le Castellet. Italian Mattia Colnaghi bagged a brace of victories in the first two races of the weekend at the French circuit near the Côte d’Azur. Race three saw Maciej Gladysz of Poland celebrate his first success of the season. Gladysz repeated his strong performance at the fourth event of the season at Motorland Aragón (27th to 28th July) in Spain, winning races one and two with support from the Hankook Ventus Race. Keanu Al Azhari from the United Arab Emirates won race three to extend his advantage at the top of the table. Al Azhari has a lead of 48 points over second-placed Colnaghi, with Gladysz a further two points back.
Highlights from Le Castellet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRqRDIXTH7g
Full replay of race 1 Aragón: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3_UmLIIV4w
Full replay of race 2 Aragón: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5y-xxHFhk8
Full replay of race 3 Aragón: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umS4woyV4X0