MONTE CARLO — 2025 will be a transition year for Hankook Tire & Technology in terms of its motorsports engagement, as it enters its first year as the exclusive tire supplier of the FIA's World Rally Championship (WRC) and prepares to exit as the tire partner for the Formula E Championship for electric formula cars.
Hankook's role as the WRC tire supplier for the 2025-27 seasons kicked off this past weekend with the prestigious Rallye Monte-Carlo, where the South Korean tire maker supplied 41 cars competing in three WRC classes. While some drivers struggled to adjust to the new rubber, overall reports from the event were positive.
In the 2025 season, three car brands— Ford, Hyundai and Toyota — are competing at 14 events held in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia for the championship. There are no North American events on the calendar.
WRC events take place primarily on public roads, usually on challenging terrain such as unpaved, snowy and muddy roads, with competitors racing at speeds up to 120 mph in both day and night conditions.
Tire durability and consistent performance are considered among the most important strategic elements of these competitions, Hankook said.
Hankook is supplying five options for the teams participating this year:
- Ventus Z215 for both dry and wet conditions;
- Ventus Z210 for adverse weather conditions, including wet roads;
- Dynapro R213, an all-weather rally tire on unpaved roads;
- Winter i*cept SR20 for snowy roads; and
- Winter i*Pike SR10 (studded) for icy conditions.
Hankook has been competing since 2014 in WRC events, such as the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and FIA Junior ERC. The tire maker cited its experience gained at this level as a major factor in its securing the exclusive WRC contract for the next three seasons.
Hankook Tire will continue supplying some competitors in the ERC — alongside Group Michelin, Indian tire maker MRF Ltd. and Pirelli Tyre — as well as the Sweden Rally Championship in 2025.
"We have already established a successful partnership with Hankook Tire through the ERC, and we are very excited to extend it to the WRC," Jona Siebel, managing director of WRC Promoter G.m.b.H.
"Hankook Tire has been working hard to develop tires to meet the special needs of the WRC, and we are very much looking forward to its debut performance at the Monte Carlo Rally in January."
Bridgestone Corp. is set to take over as the Formula E Championship's designated tire supplier, starting with 2026-27 season, replacing Hankook Tire in that role. Hankook in turn took over the Formula E supply contract in 2022 from Michelin Group.
Bridgestone said in late 2023 that its selection as the sole tire supplier for Formula E, covering the 2026-27 through 2029-30 seasons, will be a cornerstone of its sustainable global motorsports strategy.