What tires has Hankook prepared for WRC

The Korean company Hankook will replace Pirelli and will become the exclusive tire supplier for all three classes of the World Rally Championship: WRC1, WRC2, and WRC3, for three years starting from the 2025 season, and the company has revealed which tires the participants will use this year during the battle for victory in Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia.

In contrast to track racing, rallies take place on special stages in difficult conditions, including gravel surfaces, snow, and mud, at maximum speeds reaching 200 km/h, so the wear resistance of the tires and their ability to maintain a stable level of grip for a long time are crucial factors for winning such competitions.

For asphalt racing, the new supplier has prepared the Hankook Ventus Z215 tires, which, thanks to the "hybrid" tread pattern with two longitudinal grooves, are suitable for use on both dry and wet surfaces. Although these tires have one groove less than the Ventus Z205, the total width of the water drainage grooves is comparable, which allows for efficient water drainage, and the stiffness of the central zone has also been increased, which has improved handling.

If the amount of water on the track becomes too large, the Hankook Ventus Z210 tires are provided for this case, which have a directional tread pattern designed specifically for the fastest possible water dissipation.

The Hankook Dynapro R213 tires are designed for gravel tracks, which not only maintain grip on uneven surfaces but are also optimized to improve shock absorption, and the manufacturer also claims that wear will be minimal even in extremely difficult conditions.

WRC stages take place, among other things, in winter conditions, and if the track is dominated by snow or slush, the Hankook Winter i*cept SR20 tires have been developed specifically for such conditions. To enhance grip on slippery surfaces, a special rubber compound and a tread pattern with bidirectional lamellas were created, and if necessary, studs can be installed to make the tires more versatile and effective in any winter conditions.

In the event that the track is covered with ice, the Hankook Winter i*Pike SR10W tires can be installed, which are equipped with special studs that allow high speeds to be reached even on such slippery surfaces. In addition, the asymmetrical tread pattern was developed to increase traction and braking efficiency.

Thanks to the partnership with WRC, the Hankook company will become one of the few brands to have signed tire supply agreements for two of the five major world championships held under the auspices of the FIA. Hankook tires are currently used in the single-seater electric car races of Formula E, and the agreement on exclusive tire supply for WRC was signed at the Hankook headquarters in South Korea in November last year.

Hankook has a wide range of experience in racing, and the company has supported or supports more than 70 championships. In WRC, the company first entered in 2014, and successes in such competitions as the European Championship ERC and the Junior Championship Junior ERC ultimately allowed the manufacturer to become the exclusive supplier for the main rally world championship. In 2025, Hankook will supply tires not only for WRC but also for Junior WRC and the Swedish Rally Championship (SRC).

"We have already established a successful partnership with Hankook through ERC, and we are pleased to be collaborating now in the World Championship as well," noted Jona Ziebel, Managing Director of WRC Promoter GmbH. "They have worked hard to create tires that meet the unique needs of WRC, and we look forward to their debut in the series during the January Rally Monte-Carlo."

In the 2025 season, three car manufacturers will participate in WRC: Ford, Hyundai, and Toyota, and 14 stages will take place, the first of which - the Rally Monte-Carlo - will be held from January 23 to 26.