Hankook is exclusive rally tyre partner of the FIA Junior ERC

Premium tyre maker supports the rally stars of tomorrow in the FIA European Rally Championship
FIA Junior ERC to be contested across six rounds beginning in May

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 6 March 2023 – Hankook has added another top-class cooperation to its portfolio as a global player in the world of motorsport. As of this season, the premium tyre maker is the exclusive tyre partner of the FIA Junior European Rally Championship. The championship for highly-talented young rally drivers is held as part of the FIA European Rally Championship. From the coming season, Hankook high-end rally tyres will be used on the powerful vehicles with front-wheel drive and around 210 hp. The cars of Rally4 category are kept visually very close to the production model. In this way, the company is remaining true to its corporate philosophy and carrying its consistent programme of youth development into the rally scene.

The FIA European Rally Championship made its debut in 1953, making it the oldest ongoing rally series in the world. Many renowned drivers have used this championship as a springboard to the World Rally Championship. One prominent example from Germany is Walter Röhrl, who was crowned European champion in 1974 and world champion in 1982. This season’s ERC calendar consists of eight rallies in eight European countries.

The FIA Junior ERC was launched in 2014 as a platform for talented youngsters, on which young drivers can develop and gain valuable experience. This season, the competitors in the Junior ERC will contest six rounds. The season kicks off on 20th/21st May in Poland and concludes in Hungary on 7th/8th October. The young drivers aged up to 27 will take on very fast stages in Poland and Latvia, as well as demanding asphalt routes in Italy and the Czech Republic. The prize awaiting the winner is a start in next season’s FIA Junior World Rally Championship, which for years has been a hotbed for the next generation of rally stars.

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “With this new cooperation, we are consistently continuing our approach of supporting youth in all areas of motorsport. The FIA ERC is the strongest rally series in Europe and has produced many stars. Against this setting, the FIA Junior ERC offers young drivers the unique opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level and in professional conditions. I look forward to following the development of the individual drivers on our high-end rally tyres, which have been tried and tested in all conditions, and to an exciting season together.”

About Hankook Tire

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 has added another top-class cooperation to its portfolio as a global player in the world of motorsport. As of this season, the premium tyre maker is the exclusive tyre partner of the FIA Junior European Rally Championship.

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