Press release
54KB
july 16, 2019 - Hankook Motorsport
Hankook and the DTM enter uncharted territory in Assen, Netherlands
Premium tyre maker #hankook and the #DTM are at TT Circuit #assen this weekend for round five of the season. The 4.555-kilometre circuit, which was originally designed specifically for motorcycle races, is hosting arguably the most popular international touring car series for the first time. Exclusive #DTM tyre partner, #hankook, has assembled a wealth of experience at the Dutch racetrack in various different #racing series. However, the tyre maker does not yet have any reference data for the #DTM specification of the Ventus Race tyre. TT Circuit #assen is uncharted territory for #hankook, just as it is for the automobile manufacturers in the #DTM.
Neu-Isenburg/Germany, 16th July 2019 – TT Circuit #assen was opened as a permanent racetrack in 1955, since when it has been modified and adapted several times. The northern loop was removed in 2006, reducing the length of the circuit from 7.705 kilometres to the 4.555 kilometres it is today. The circuit in the Dutch province of Drente is technically demanding. While the first section is relatively slow, the second section is where the fun really starts, with some very fast sections. The corners are slightly banked and the longest straight is 960 metres long.
“Like Misano, #assen was designed for motorcycle #racing. The kerbs are flat, placing relatively little demand on the construction of the #hankook race tyre. In contrast, the running surface of the Ventus Race is put under greater strain when accelerating out of corners in the winding sections, some of which are very narrow,” explains Thomas Baltes, the #hankook race engineer responsible for the #DTM.
Last time out, at the Norisring, the increase in power of the current crop of #DTM cars, with turbo engines generating in excess of 600 hp, again put greater strain on the #hankook race tyre than in previous years. Thomas Baltes: “The surface of the track at the street circuit in Nuremberg, which is usually used by everyday traffic, is far from as aggressive and demanding on the tyres as the asphalt of a thoroughbred racetrack. Despite this, the constant acceleration and wheelspin caused greater wear than we have been used to at the Norisring, particularly on the rear axle.”
The driver’s driving style and tyre management will be important factors in #assen. However, the position in the field also plays a major role in this regard. “When a driver is able to drive his own race out in front, like René Rast and Bruno Spengler at the Norisring, they can obviously manage their tyres differently to a driver who is involved in battles for positions. Mike Rockenfeller came through from eleventh on the grid to finish third in race two at the Norisring and really put the #hankook race tyre to the test for the full distance. However, that kind of tactic is not necessarily advisable on aggressive asphalt like you find in #assen,” said Hankook’s head #DTM race engineer.
Baltes believes the strain on the tyres at TT Circuit #assen will be average compared to many other #DTM circuits. “With the layout of the circuit in #assen, the teams can use the set-up to get even more out of the #hankook race tyre. At the Norisring, the key was braking and accelerating. In #assen, the banked corners and fast passages in the second part of the track mean the car set-up will play a decisive role in the race for victory.”
20190716 DTM Assen 1 01
5311x3543, 1MB
20190716 DTM Assen 1 02
5315x3543, 2MB
20190716 DTM Assen 1 03
5315x3543, 1MB
20190716 DTM Assen 1 04
4972x3508, 3MB
Related news |
||
|
|
|
february 09, 2024
|
september 15, 2022
|
april 28, 2022
|
|
Audi celebrated its first victory at the Dakar Rally on January 19, 2024 and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz their fourth with the fourth ... |
Porsche 911 GT3 R dominates Saturday's race in BelgiumFirst #DTM win for SSR Performance driver Dennis OlsenThomas Preining from T... |
Season preview, #DTM, Rounds 1+2, Portimão (Portugal)Porsche customer teams contest a full #DTM season for the first timeStuttgart... |
Download all 
You might be interested in |
||
|
|
|
november 02, 2020
|
august 17, 2020
|
july 12, 2019
|
|
Hankook and the #DTM are celebrating a decade-long #partnership this season. The premium tyre maker and the international touring ... |
Sunday’s race at the #lausitzring ends with spectacular photo finishAudi drivers separated by only 0.089 secondsChampion #renerast... |
The location could not have been better. At the Norisring, the street circuit in Nuremberg known as the Franconian Monaco in the D... |
Download all 
Share
Share via mail 
Automotive
Sport
Events
Art&Culture
Design
Fashion&Beauty
Food&Hospitality
Technology
Nautica
Racing
Excellence
Corporate
OffBeat
Green
Gift
Pop
Heritage
Entertainment
Health & Wellness