The 24H Series powered by Hankook is coming to Germany. From 13th to 15th May, the prestigious endurance series will be at the Hockenheimring, where it reaches the halfway point in the season after three of seven races. With its fast straights and corners, the iconic circuit in the Hardtwald forest is one of the most challenging tracks on the calendar and really places great demands on the drivers, cars and the Ventus Race tyre supplied by title sponsor and exclusive tyre partner Hankook. The Hankook 12H Hockenheimring takes place over two days. The first part of the race is held from 13:55 to 20:00 (local time) on Saturday, followed by the second part from 14:05 to 20:00 on Sunday.
The first German race in the 24H Series powered by Hankook took place in Hockenheim in 2020. Since then, the circuit has been an integral part of the endurance series. The 4.574-kilometre strip of asphalt consists of high-speed sections like the Parabolica, and slow sections, in which maximum grip is required. “Due to the varied profile of the track, a set-up with a good balance between aerodynamic and mechanical grip offers the best chance of success,” says Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe.
One feature of the Hockenheimring are the high and sharp-edged kerbs, which the drivers often take at high speed. This causes the profile of the Hankook Ventus Race to deform, which in turn puts great strain on the running surface and construction. However, these challenges have not affected the strong performance of the race tyre in recent years.
Another characteristic of the circuit in Baden-Württemberg are the many bumps. In these sections, the cars have a tendency to “bounce” at high speeds, which sees the front of the car move up and down rapidly. Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “The bouncing can be very uncomfortable for the drivers in braking zones, like the entry to turn two. If you miss the precise braking point, you lose a lot of time. In the past, a number of teams have tried to compensate for the unevenness of the track with low tyre pressures. However, that puts strain on the construction of the Ventus Race in other passages, such as the fast corners, which can then lead to slower lap times. As at many other racetracks, the overall package of flexible set-up and the right tyre pressures is key to success.”
