Stories
The Story of Aug, 2024
31 Aug 2024
Supercar Challenge thrills in Assen
43 cars lined up at round five of the Supercar Challenge, which took place at Assen in the Netherlands from 2nd to 4th August. Spectators around the 4.542-kilometre circuit, which is known among fans as the “Cathedral of Speed”, were treated to two exciting races with many battles across the different classes. In race one, it looked for a long time like being a comfortable victory for Dutch championship leaders Jordin Poland and Mex Jansen in their BMW M6 GT3. However, their compatriot Max Koebolt used the Hankook Ventus Race to gradually claw his way back into contention metre by metre in his BMW M4 GT3, ramping up the tension in the grandstands. The Dutchman put the leaders under pressure, but was unable to prevent Jansen and Poland from taking victory.
The second race of the weekend was another thriller, with the first two cars from the previous day again in the limelight. However, the two BMW had to settle for second and third place on the Sunday, as Britons Edward and Christopher Bridle benefitted from the strong performance of the Hankook tyre to cross the finish line in first place in their Praga R1. Koebolt was runner-up, ahead of the championship leaders in third place.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AkX7utRrkc
NXT Gen Cup: De Groot show at the Nürburgring
Fans at the Nürburgring from 16th to 18th August were again treated to some awesome racing in the fully-electric NXT Gen Cup, which is benefitting from the optimal grip level of the Hankook tyre for the second year in a row in 2024. Dutchman Calvin de Groot made particularly good use of this tyre and won all three races at the iconic circuit in Germany. Not even the unsettled weather conditions in the Eifel could stop the youngster, as de Groot claimed his fourth win of the season and opened a 46-point lead over the second-placed driver in the championship at the halfway point of the season. The race weekend at the Sachsenring from 6th to 8th September kicks off the second half of the season.
Full replay, race 1, Nürburgring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBZch_WCReI&t=2s
Full replay, race 2, Nürburgring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEql7CMpvJ4
Full replay, race 3, Nürburgring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKU9IlNJ7Oo
Overall victory with Hankook: Stříteský wins the Rally Zlín
He came, he saw, he conquered: Czech driver Dominik Stříteský was making his first appearance of this season’s FIA European Rally Championship at the rally in Zlín in mid-August, and promptly took overall victory. The local favourite called upon the high performance of the Hankook tyre, as he emerged triumphant against some big-name opposition and other tyre manufacturers. Stříteský took the lead in his Skoda Fabia RS as early as stage four. On his mission to secure the win, he was supported by the Hankook rally tyre, on which he was unstoppable in the dark, in wet conditions, and on changing surfaces. In the end, he finished 19.2 seconds clear of his closest rivals. Victory for Stříteský brought to an end the winning run of his compatriot Jan Kopecký, who had won the rally for the past eight years in a row. The second-best driver on Hankook tyres was Filip Mareš from the Czech Republic, who finished fifth in his Toyota GR Yaris.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRH5mc0OisY
Thailand Super Series: Team AAI celebrates victory at Sepang International Circuit
The international field in the Thailand Super Series assembled at Sepang International Circuit from 9th to 11th August for the third event of the season. Akash Nandy (Malaysia) and Eshan Pieris (Sri Lanka) started race five of the championship from pole position in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 run by the B-Quick Absolute Racing team. The two Audi drivers continued to lead, ably assisted by the Hankook Ventus Race, until the pit stop window around the halfway point of the race. However, following the driver changeover, the duo dropped back to eighth place. The BMW M4 GT3 of Japanese Team AAI fared far better. First behind the wheel was China’s Chun Hua Chen, who handed the car over to Jesse Krohn from fourth place. With the Hankook tyre working perfectly, the Finn managed to battle his way into second place on the 5.543-kilometre track. He then launched a successful overtaking manoeuvre on the leader and went on to take the chequered flag as the race winner. Heavy rainfall on Sunday forced those responsible for the series to cancel the sixth race of the season. Sepang International Circuit hosts the fourth round of the championship from 6th to 8th September.
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF6C7vvMNo4
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia: Wells and Carde move to the top of the table at Fuji Speedway
The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia continued its season with round four at Fuji Speedway in Japan from 16th to 18th August. 23 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo2, all relying on the qualify of the Hankook Ventus Race, lined up at the 4.563-kilometre circuit at the foot of Mount Fuji. Hon Chio Long (Macau) and Japanese driver Miki Koyama came into the race weekend as championship leaders. They took their points tally to 86 after a sixth and a second place. Britain’s Daniel Wells and Frenchman Emilien Carde left the Japanese circuit with the same number of points, having finished third once and taken victory in the Sunday race. The British/French duo takes its place at the top of the table, due to a higher number of race wins. It was also a successful event for New Zealander Chris van der Drift, as he claimed victory in the opening race of the weekend, before making it onto the podium again in third place in race two. Last year’s champion only made his first appearance of the season at the third event in Inje. However, he has already won three races with the optimal grip level provided by the Hankook tyre. Currently fourth in the table, he now has his sights set firmly on the top three.
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P-ZyDJkeEM&t=4698s
Full replay of race 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ib8Hd_DKs&t=4227s
Hot, hotter, Stock Car Pro Series: Round seven sets up thrilling title race at Belo Horizonte Street Circuit in Brazil
Temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius were not the only thing to get the spectators sweating at round seven of this season’s Stock Car Pro Series from 16th to 18th August – so did the extremely close title race. The race weekend at Belo Horizonte Street Circuit in Brazil was also the inaugural event at the 3.113-kilometre temporary street circuit, which runs around the Mineirão stadium. Brazilian Daniel Serra secured his first pole position in qualifying on the Hankook Ventus Race. Remarkably, less than a second separated the first 19 drivers, with just 0.005 seconds between pole and second place. This once again underlined the strong performance of the Hankook tyre. Saturday’s sprint race was won by Thiago Camilo from Brazil. Fellow Brazilian Felipe Baptista then took victory in an exciting main race, finishing ahead of former Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet junior and Cacá Bueno (both Brazil). The results in the metropolis of Belo Horizonte have set up an absolutely thrilling title race, with just 13 points between the new leader Felipe Massa (549 points) and fifth-placed Julio Campos. Fans of the cult Brazilian series can look forward to a spectacular second half of the season. The battle for the trophy continues from 6th to 8th September at the Velopark to the north of Porto Alegre.
Champion with a race to come: Johansson wins the FIA Junior ERC
Sweden’s Mille Johansson claimed his fifth podium at Rali Ceredigion in Wales from 30th August to 1st September. He ended the rally there in second place, which was enough to see him crowned champion of the FIA Junior ERC with one rally still to come. Throughout the 2024 season, he has put his faith in the consistently high grip level of the Hankook tyre, on which he has been able to push his car to the limit on the challenging special stages. The rally was won by Max McRae from Great Britain, for whom victory in front of his home fans was a special moment. Meanwhile, it promises to be an exciting showdown for second place in the championship at the finale in Poland: seven drivers could still mathematically end the year as runners-up. Of them, Sweden’s Calle Carlberg and McRae are best-placed going into the final rally.
Highlights of day 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tUHtMNqP90
Highlights of day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgQn2pEqqqY
Highlights of day 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66frux-RDy8
Spectacular races in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America in Austin
Round four of this season’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, from 30th August to 1st September at Circuit of The Americas, was another absolute highlight for spectators. The drivers produced thrilling moments and many fierce battles in both races. The Hankook Ventus Race allowed fast lap times, as it provided optimal grip despite temperatures around 34 degrees Celsius. The opening race at the 5.513-kilometre circuit in Austin was particularly dramatic in the closing stages, as Brazilian Kiko Porto and Ryan Norman from the USA crashed into each other while battling for second place. Both cars spun, leaving race leader Ernie Francis (USA) free to take a comfortable victory. This was the third success of the season for Francis and his team-mate Gianni Taurino from South Africa. The following day, Norman and his partner Danny Formal from Costa Rica hit back. Taking advantage of the Hankook tyre’s fine performance, they defeated the strong opposition to take the chequered flag. The Italian sports cars next go head to head at the circuit in Indianapolis from 20th to 22nd September.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmwwH00m6MQ
Formula Regional Americas Championship: Woods-Toth storms to title with hat-trick of wins
Patrick Woods-Toth enjoyed a perfect weekend in the Formula Regional Americas Championship at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park from 29th August to 1st September. The Canadian laid the foundation for the coming races in qualifying, securing pole position on the Hankook Ventus Race. The 20-year-old also excelled in race conditions and won all three races at the 3.957-kilometre track in southern Canada. However, there was even more good news for Woods-Toth. His impressive display was enough to see the youngster crowned champion of the American talent factory in front of his home crowd. This was his second title in a row, having ended last season as champion in the Formula 4 US Championship. Then too, he was able to rely on the consistently high grip level of the Hankook tyre.
Porsche triumphs with Hankook at sixth RCN event at Nürburgring Nordschleife
The “Um die Westfalen Trophy” race in the Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring took place on 31st August. The field of 148 cars, all on Hankook tyres, was split into two for the regularity test on the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife. In the opening race, it was Dean Apfel (Germany) in a Porsche 991 Carrera who achieved the best result with a time of 1:56.27 hours. Germans Julian Reeh and Sascha Steinhardt took advantage of the wealth of grip offered by the Hankook tyre to better this time by almost three minutes and take victory in their Porsche 997 GT3.