Hankook adds to Euro m'sports agenda

NEU-ISENBERG, Germany (March 16, 2016) — Hankook Tire Co. Inc. has secured the exclusive race tire supply contracts for new touring car series starting up in Germany and Italy for front wheel-drive cars powered by 2-liter, four-cylinder turbo engines.

The new series — the Touring Car Racing Series ADAC TCR Germany and Italian Touring Car Championship — are being organized by the German Automobile Club (ADAC) and the Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI), 2016 respectively, and based on regulations established by the TCR International Series, an initiative of World Sporting Consulting Ltd.

Hankook's contract runs for three years in Germany and two years in Italy. Financial details were not disclosed.

Hankook said it will supply the two series with its Ventus race tires, size 260/660 R18. Among the car brands eligible and active are Alfa Romeo, Honda, Opel, Peugeot, SEAT, Subaru and Volkswagen.

Both series will comprise seven dual-race race weekends. The German series starts May 15-17 and concludes Sept. 30-Oct. 2; the Italian series opens May 8 and wraps up Oct. 30.  

The TCR series comprises three categories: the International Series, Regional Championships/Series, and National Championships/Series, such as the German and Italian series Hankook's affiliated with.

There also are national championships in Benelux, Russia, Spain and Thailand,

Michelin is the tire supplier for the International Series, which is scheduled to run 11 events at tracks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and the TCR Asia Series.

Marcello Lotti, promoter of the TCR International Series, is forecasting that the various series combined will stage more than 100 race events this year, with 100-plus cars expected to compete.

In addition to these two racing series, Hankook's motorsport portfolio in Europe includes the exclusive supply rights to the DTM German Touring Car Championship, FIA Formula 3 European Championship, 24 H Series and the Audi Sport TT Cup.

Supplying the ADAC TCR Germany “will allow us to demonstrate the performance of our products to TV audiences in another racing series,” said Manfred Sandbichler, director of Hankook's motorsport for Europe.

“Touring car sport is experiencing great popularity at the moment and is becoming exceedingly more important through the TCR series across Europe.”