Press Release

  • Motorsport

Hankook and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Hankook and the DTM are in Hockenheim this weekend for the final round of the season. With two races remaining, René Rast has already been crowned DTM champion for 2019. The Audi driver wrapped up his second title in arguably the most popular international touring car series at the Nürburgring three weeks ago. Although the title race is no longer open, spectators can still look forward to exciting and spectacular motorsport in Hockenheim. Three cars from the Japanese Super GT series will join the field at the iconic circuit, where they will go head to head with the DTM drivers and their new champion. Among the guest starters will be former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, who twice finished runner-up in the Grand Prix in Hockenheim during his time at the pinnacle of motor racing.
Hankook and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Neu-Isenburg/Germany, 1st October 2019 – This weekend’s DTM finale in Hockenheim will be a real challenge for premium tyre maker Hankook. With its ultra-quick corners, a surface that is uneven in places, and huge kerbs, the high-speed circuit near Heidelberg places great demands on the Ventus Race. “After Zandvoort was scrapped for this season, Hockenheim is now by far the most difficult circuit on the DTM calendar for the tyres. To be successful here, the drivers must drive hard from the word go. Plus, they must also take the high kerbs at top speed, which really puts great strain on the construction of the Hankook race tyre,” says Thomas Baltes, the Hankook race engineer responsible for the DTM.

Another stress factor for the Hankook race tyre this season is the new turbo engine, which supplies the race cars with an extra 100 hp of power. Back in May, during the season-opener at the Hockenheimring, the new engine resulted in greater tyre wear than was previously the case with the weaker, naturally-aspirated engine. “The turbo engine has resulted in far greater strain on the rear axle, the result of which is that the wheels spin more often. For this reason, tyre wear at the opening round in Hockenheim was greater than in previous years. However, over the course of the season, the teams have learned a lot about the interplay between the new engine and the Hankook race tyre, and have modified the car set-up accordingly,” explains Baltes.

They must also adapt to the temperature at the Hockenheimring, which could be quite low. The compulsory minimum air pressure and increased camber values should help to get Hankook’s Ventus Race tyre to the optimal temperature range as quickly as possible, even in cooler weather. As well as the weather, another unpredictable factor will be the participation of the three cars from the Japanese Super GT series. At the wheel of one of these cars will be former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button. The GT500 cars from the Far East will be aligned with the DTM cars using the Balance of Performance (BoP). However, their aerodynamics will also put great strain on the Hankook race tyre.

Thomas Baltes: “The participation of the Japanese cars poses an extra, but very exciting, challenge for Hankook at the end of the season. We will give our guests from the Far East as much support as possible on their appearance in Germany, just as we have done all season for the DTM teams and drivers. We travel to the finale in Hockenheim with both respect and confidence. Hankook and the manufacturers have coped well with the many new challenges they have faced this season.”

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 and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Hockenheim, Germany: DTM 2019 Hockenheim 01,

File size: 2 MB

Hankook and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Hockenheim, Germany: DTM 2019 Hockenheim 01, Daniel Juncadella ( ESP, Aston Martin )

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Hankook and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Nürburg: DTM Norisring 2019, Nürnberg on September, 13, 2019, (Photo by Hoch Zwei) Mike Rockenfeller ( D, Audi Sport Team Phoenix )

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Hankook and the DTM joined by guests from the Japanese Super GT series for the season finale in Hockenheim

Hockenheim, Germany: DTM 2019 Hockenheim 01,

File size: 2 MB

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

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