Press Release

  • Motorsport

Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre in the potential heat of Misano

This weekend, the DTM is at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for round three of the 2019 season. Last year, the DTM not only made its debut in the Italian seaside resort, but also staged two night races there for the first time in the history of what is arguably the most popular international touring car series. This year, as at the other racetracks, the drivers will line up for a 13:30 start on Saturday and Sunday.
Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre  in the potential heat of Misano

Misano/Italy, 4th June 2019The 4.226-kilometre racetrack in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna has ten right corners and six left-handers and, with its many changes in direction, is one of the slower DTM circuits. The longest straight is 565 metres long, giving the drivers little time, in which to employ the full potential of their 4-cylinder turbo engines, which generate over 600 hp. As Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli is predominantly used for motorcycle races, the kerbs are flat, meaning the construction of the Hankook race tyre will be put under relatively little strain.

It is a different story for the running surface on the Ventus Race. The asphalt in Misano is aggressive, meaning that high track temperatures and this year’s more powerful DTM cars can result in a high degree of strain. “We are assuming that the temperature of the running surface will be significantly higher than in Hockenheim and Zolder, which means that the desired drop-off effect will kick in earlier than usual. As such, the teams should go for a set-up that provides the right level of performance, but without overworking the tyres. We saw in Zolder what the Hankook race tyre is capable of in combination with the new DTM cars. For this reason, we believe that the Ventus Race will also cope with the potential heat in Misano,” says Thomas Baltes, the Hankook race engineer responsible for the DTM.

It will also be important for the teams to use the seven sets of new Hankook slicks at their disposal wisely over the course of the race weekend, which comprises free practice, two qualifying sessions and the races themselves. This will depend largely upon whether the teams opt for a two-stop strategy in both races. Thomas Baltes: “As well as the set-up of the car, there are many other parameters that can influence the performance of the tyre and, in turn, the strategy. You can start the race on old tyres and then finish on two sets of fresh tyres if you go for a two-stop strategy. That will depend on how warm it is in free practice and qualifying, and whether the drivers can potentially look after the tyres a little better. However, the deciding factor is, and will remain, the driver. As we have seen in the DTM races so far, some drivers are able to cope well with the desired drop-off of the Ventus Race, while others struggle.”

Last year, guest starter Alessandro Zanardi (BMW) produced an eye-catching performance, finishing a sensational fifth in the Italian rain in the Sunday night race. This weekend, it is the turn of motorcycle racer Andrea Dovizioso to make his DTM debut in the Audi RS 5 DTM. The Italian MotoGP star and two-time runner-up in the world championship, who rides for the Ducati factory team, familiarised himself with the 600-hp DTM car during the two-day tests at the circuit on the Adriatic coast. Dovizioso is looking forward to “racing in such a fiercely-competitive series as the DTM”.

The support programme for the DTM weekend in Misano also features the W Series and the Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup. Premium tyre maker Hankook also supplies both these series exclusively with race tyres.

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

all press releases

Downloads

Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre  in the potential heat of Misano

Motorsports: DTM race Misano, Saison 2018 - 7. Event Misano, ITA

File size: 2 MB

Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre  in the potential heat of Misano

Hockenheim, Germany: DTM 2019 Hockenheim 01, Paul di Resta ( GBR, Aston Martin )

File size: 2 MB

Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre  in the potential heat of Misano

Andrea Dovizioso, Audi RS 5 DTM

File size: 4 MB

Tough test for the Hankook DTM race tyre  in the potential heat of Misano

File size: 826 KB

Contacts

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Lisa Schmid

PR Manager Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-172

Subscribe to the Hankook press releases