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A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Premium tyre maker Hankook and the DTM return to Germany this weekend. The Lausitzring is the venue for round seven of the season in arguably the most popular international touring car series, as the title race comes to a head. René Rast is favourite to win the championship, following his victory on the Sunday at Brands Hatch. The Audi driver has only failed to pick up points in two of the twelve DTM races so far and, with four wins, four podiums, a fifth and a seventh place, has been consistently strong. His closest rival is fellow Audi racer, Nico Müller, who trails Rast by 37 points. BMW drivers Marco Wittmann and Philipp Eng are still within striking distance in third and fourth place, but will have to start winning races if they are to catch the two Audi men. The Hankook race tyre could play a key role in the final stages of the season, as its high degree of consistency and predictability allows aggressive race strategies.
A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Neu-Isenburg/Germany, 20th August 2019 – The 4.570-kilometre Grand Prix circuit is technically demanding and driven in an anti-clockwise direction. Top speed is key on the start and finish straights, while the infield, with its many slow corners and chicanes, demands maximum traction in order to be able to accelerate quickly out of these sections. “This layout demands a balanced car set-up and you must find a compromise that allows you to best cope with the switch between fast and slow sections. One feature is the severe bouncing, which has led some drivers to refer to the Lausitzring as a “mogul run”. The drivers must adapt to that, particularly in the braking zones,” explains Thomas Baltes, the Hankook race engineer responsible for the DTM.

The fine-pored asphalt at the Lausitzring offers little grip. The drivers must be particularly careful when rejoining the race after a pit stop on a fresh set of Hankook race tyres, which may not be pre-heated. The smooth surface means it takes a little longer than at other DTM circuits to get the Ventus Race up to its ideal temperature and optimal grip level. Thomas Baltes: “With the new turbo engines, generating over 600 hp, we will more often than otherwise see wheelspin on this smooth surface. That can lead to the tyre heating more dramatically and thus to greater tyre wear. However, that depends greatly upon the driver’s driving style.”

Tyre management has become a decisive factor in the DTM this season. Many teams have opted for an asymmetric pit stop strategy, dividing their races into one short and one very long stint. “Some drivers manage to take full advantage of the high level of grip provided by the Hankook race tyre for a very long time, before the intended drop-off effect kicks in. These drivers are able to react flexibly, as they need not stick to a strict pit stop window. That could be decisive in the title race.”

Hankook produceert wereldwijd innovatieve, prijswinnende high performance radiaalbanden voor het premium segment voor auto's, SUV's, terreinwagens, lichte vrachtwagens, vrachtwagens en bussen evenals voor de autosport (circuit- en straatracen/rally's).

Hankook investeert voortdurend in onderzoek en ontwikkeling om haar klanten steeds de hoogste kwaliteit in combinatie met uitstekende technologie te bieden. In vijf ontwikkelingscentra en acht grote fabrieken wereldwijd ontwikkelt en produceert Hankook bandoplossingen, die specifiek zijn afgestemd op de wensen en eisen van de regionale markten. In Europa vindt de bandontwikkeling voor de lokale markten en eerste montage plaats in overeenstemming met de toonaangevende Europese autofabrikanten in het regionale technisch centrum in Hannover/Duitsland. De banden worden onder andere geproduceerd in de ultramoderne Europese fabriek in Rácalmás/ Hongarije, die in 2007 werd ingewijd en voortdurend uitgebreid wordt.

Het Europese hoofdkwartier van de bandenfabrikant is gevestigd in Neu-Isenburg, Duitsland in de buurt van Frankfurt am Main. De fabrikant heeft meerdere vestigingen in verschillende Europese landen en verkoopt haar producten op andere lokale markten via regionale distributeurs. Wereldwijd biedt Hankook werk aan ongeveer 20.000 mensen en levert haar producten in meer dan 160 landen. Het bedrijf is geselecteerd als de technische partner en exclusieve bandenleverancier van Generatie 3 voor het FIA ABB Formule E Wereldkampioenschap, dat start in 2023. Toonaangevende autofabrikanten vertrouwen bij de eerste montage op banden van Hankook. Ongeveer 38 procent van de wereldwijde omzet van de onderneming is afkomstig uit Europa.

Verdere informatie vindt u via www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com of www.hankooktire.com

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

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A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Klettwitz: DTM Lausitzring Test 2019, Klettwitz on April, 16, 2019, (Photo by Hoch Zwei) Rene Rast ( D, Audi Sport Team Rosberg )

File size: 1 MB

A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Klettwitz: DTM Lausitzring Test 2019, Klettwitz on April, 17, 2019, (Photo by Hoch Zwei) Jake Dennis ( GBR, Aston Martin )

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A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Klettwitz: DTM Lausitz on May, 20, 2018, (Photo by Hoch Zwei) Start

File size: 3 MB

A demanding circuit with a smooth surface: Tyre management can decide the race at the Lausitzring

Audi Sport RS 5 DTM #33 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg), René Rast

File size: 2 MB

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