Press Release

  • Motorsport

Hankook is the exclusive supplier for the new BMW M4 GT4 at the ADAC Zurich 24h Race

Hankook is the exclusive tyre partner of the TCR and GT4 classes at the 45th ADAC Zurich 24h Race at the Nürburgring. The premium tyre maker will be equipping the two promising vehicle classes with Ventus Race tyres in all the necessary dimensions, all available in a slick and wet version, at the 24-hour classic in the Eifel region of Germany. BMW will also be unveiling its new customer racing car, the new M4 GT4, in its motorsport livery for the first time. The Munich-based manufacturer will also launch global sales of the new car at the weekend. Initially The new model will, like the racing car in action at the Nürburgring, be equipped exclusively with the Hankook Ventus Race tyre.
Hankook is the exclusive supplier for the new BMW M4 GT4 at the ADAC Zurich 24h Race

Neu-Isenburg/Germany, 26.05.2017 - When the drivers compete for places on the legendary Nordschleife from 25th - 28th May, Hankook will be in the thick of it. As the exclusive supplier, tyre maker Hankook will be providing the new TCR and GT4 classes with premium-quality slicks and wet-weather tyres. The GT4 and TCR classes competing in this season’s VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring, which got underway with the first of nine races on 25th March, are also fitted exclusively with Hankook racing tyres. One of the highlights of the weekend at the Nürburgring will be the race debut of the new BMW M4 GT4, which will also be exclusively equipped with Hankook racing tyres. In addition, the customer racing version of the new car will also go on sale for the first time this weekend – again, exclusively equipped with premium Hankook racing tyres. Hankook is thus consistently expanding its commitment to international motor racing.

Over the past few months, the BMW M4 GT4 has been tested by a host of BMW works, Junior and customer racing drivers on different circuits and under a wide range of different conditions. The purpose of this testing was to adapt all the technical applications, such as the DSC stability system and ABS, to meet the demands of motor racing in as much detail as possible. The car has already proven its reliability and performance in races on the Nordschleife and at the 24 Hours of Dubai.

The outing at this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours is the next tough test in the development of the BMW M4 GT4. Dirk Adorf, BMW Motorsport Junior Ricky Collard and Jörg Weidinger, test and development engineer at BMW M GmbH, will use the endurance classic to gain more valuable knowledge about the new car. They will race at the Nürburgring 24 Hours alongside British motorsport journalist Jethro Bovingdon in the BMW M4 GT4 media car, which will run on Hankook tyres.

“The start of the sales phase represents the achievement of a further milestone with the BMW M4 GT4,” says BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “We look forward to seeing the vehicle racing successfully in the hands of our customer racing teams in 2018. We are relying on Hankook performance and expertise here, too. We are offering our customers a sophisticated and reliable GT4 car, which incorporates all of BMW Motorsport’s expertise, coupled with the strong basis provided by the BMW M4 Coupé. The development of the BMW M4 GT4 focussed on mileage, cost efficiency and ease of maintenance.”

“The cooperation between BMW Motorsport and Hankook, in the form of the exclusive supply our Ventus Race tyre for the BMW M4 GT4 at the ADAC Zurich 24h Race with our Ventus Race tyre is a further milestone for us in international motor racing,” explains Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe. “In addition, we are pleased that our cooperation with BMW Motorsport is not restricted to the DTM alone, but that the new BMW M4 GT4 project has allowed us to join the world of BMW customer racing as well.”

Hankook Tire manufactures globally innovative, award-winning radial tyres of proven superior quality for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/street circuits/rallies).

Aspiring to bring consumers the utmost excellence in product quality, technological excellence and driving satisfaction, Hankook Tire continuously invests in research and development maintaining five R&D centres and eight production facilities around the world. Bespoke tyre solutions for the European markets as well as European Original Equipment according to the requirements of leading premium car manufacturers, are developed in the company’s regional Technical Centre in Hanover/Germany. Production for the European region is taking place in the state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Rácalmás/Hungary which was inaugurated in June 2007 and is continuously being expanded.

Hankook Tire’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The manufacturer operates further branches in several European countries and sells its products through regional distributors in other local markets. Hankook Tire employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and sells products in over 160 countries. The company has been the technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Generation 3 for the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship since 2023. Internationally leading car manufacturers rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment. Approximately 38 percent of the company's global sales are generated within the European region.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

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

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Hankook is the exclusive supplier for the new BMW M4 GT4 at the ADAC Zurich 24h Race

BMW M4 GT4 ©Martin Hangen

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Hankook is the exclusive supplier for the new BMW M4 GT4 at the ADAC Zurich 24h Race

BMW M4 GT4 ©Martin Hangen

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Contacts

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

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Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Lisa Schmid

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Alexander Nevinny-Stickel

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Digital Marketing Communications

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