Premium tyre maker Hankook enters third season with the Audi Sport TT Cup

The Audi Sport TT Cup kicked off the new season at the DTM race weekend in Hockenheim on Saturday. 16 drivers from eleven countries will line up in the junior series. The field is younger than ever, with the average age of the drivers just 18.7 years. The talented youngsters will do battle at circuits in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands on seven race weekends, six of which share the bill with the DTM. Premium tyre maker Hankook has provided the juniors with the Ventus race tyre since the series was launched in 2015. With its high level of consistency, the Hankook tyre is a key factor for the young drivers as they take their first steps in professional motor racing.

Hockenheim/Germany, 7th May 2017 – Prior to the start of the season, 130 young drivers applied for a place in the Audi Sport TT Cup, with eleven newcomers making it into the starting field. They include Fabian Vettel, brother of four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel. “We are obviously happy to welcome such a well-known name into the fold. However, the most important thing is that our field of drivers is more evenly matched than ever this year. It is going to be a really exciting season,” said Philipp Mondelaers, the man with overall responsibility for the Audi Sport TT Cup.

Three female racers will also take their place on the grid. Of them, the driver with perhaps the best prospect of finishing towards the front of the field is Poland’s Gosia Rdest, who finished eighth overall last year. Philipp Mondelaers: “Gosia knows how the land lies. She is a consistent factor and has been involved in the series since the very beginning. I believe she is capable of great things. Generally speaking, I see hardly any difference between men and women in our series.”

As all the cars in the Audi Sport TT Cup are identical, and only the anti-roll bars may be adjusted when setting the car up, it is very important to manage the Hankook race tyres well. “Many drivers come from a karting or single-seater background and must initially get used to front-wheel drive, as the rear wheels are basically just pulled around the track. The biggest challenge is to get the rear tyres up to the ideal temperature without overworking the front wheels,” said the Project Leader.

The high level of consistency makes the Hankook race tyre the ideal partner for the young drivers. It provides the talented racers with the necessary security to explore the limits of their driving ability. Philipp Mondelaers: “The Hankook race tyre is completely non-critical and incredibly consistent over long distances. If a driver opts for the wrong tyre pressure, it will have consequences in terms of their performance, but it is completely without risk. That is very important in an entry-level series like the Audi Sport TT Cup.”

À propos d’Hankook Tire

Hankook Tire fabrique à l’échelle mondiale des pneumatiques radiaux premium et innovants – dont plusieurs ont été primés – destinés aux véhicules de tourisme, 4X4/SUV, utilitaires, poids lourds, autobus ainsi qu’aux véhicules de sports automobiles (courses sur circuit, circuits urbains, rallyes).

Afin d'offrir à ses clients une qualité optimale associée à l'excellence technologique et au confort de conduite, Hankook investit en permanence dans la recherche et le développement. L'entreprise élabore et produit des solutions de pneumatiques sur mesure, parfaitement adaptées aux exigences et aux demandes des marchés régionaux dans cinq centres de développement internationaux et huit grandes usines. En Europe, le développement des pneumatiques ainsi que la production des équipements de première monte sont effectués dans le Centre technique d'Hankook à Hanovre en Allemagne selon les critères des plus grands constructeurs automobiles européens. Les pneumatiques sont produits au sein de l'usine européenne ultra moderne de Rácalmás en Hongrie, qui a été inaugurée en 2007 et ne cesse d'être agrandie depuis.

Le siège européen du manufacturier de pneumatiques est situé à Neu-Isenburg, près de Francfort-sur-le-Main en Allemagne. Le manufacturier possède des filiales dans plusieurs pays européens et vend ses produits par l'intermédiaire de distributeurs régionaux sur d'autres marchés locaux. Hankook emploie environ 20 000 salariés dans le monde entier et commercialise ses produits dans plus de 160 pays. L’entreprise a été choisie comme partenaire technique et fournisseur exclusif de pneumatiques de la Génération 3 pour le championnat du monde de Formule E de la FIA ABB, à partir de 2023. Pour leurs équipements de première monte, les plus grands constructeurs automobiles font confiance aux pneumatiques fabriqués par Hankook. L'Europe représente environ 38 % du chiffre d'affaires global de l'entreprise.

Pour obtenir plus d’informations, veuillez consulter www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com ou www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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