Hankook and girl power: W Series starts on Hankook tyres at Formula 1 race weekends

Hankook is once again the exclusive tyre partner of the W Series in 2021, which this season shares the bill with the Formula 1 World Championship. This marks a world first for the premium tyre maker’s high-end Ventus Race tyre: for the first time in the history of motorsport, a single-seater racing series featuring only women drivers will support the pinnacle of motor racing.

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 05.05.2021 – The W Series was launched in 2018 to provide young female drivers with the opportunity to gain practical motorsport experience and to develop as drivers. Hankook has been on board as exclusive tyre supplier since the series’ inaugural season in 2019. Over the course of the six rounds, including events in Hockenheim, Zolder and at Brands Hatch, the premium tyre maker’s Ventus Race offered all the drivers optimal support with its constantly impressive performance. The high level of consistency demonstrated by the race tyre also made for some thrilling racing. "Having confidence in the performance of the tyres is vital when you are racing on the limit, and Hankook’s quality and consistency in all conditions during W Series’ first season helped all of the drivers focus on racing which produced lots of exciting on-track battles. This year will be an even bigger challenge as we visit eight new circuits with Formula 1, but I know that Hankook’s team will rise to the occasion again, allowing my competitors and I to shine on motor racing’s biggest stage," said Britain’s Jamie Chadwick, the first champion of the all-woman racing series.

After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the W Series is back with a bang this year and will again line up on Hankook race tyres – this time as an integral part of Formula 1 events. The calendar consists of eight rounds, which will be held parallel to the pinnacle of motor racing. First up on 26th June is Le Castellet, in France. The 18 drivers will contest the season finale in their identical 270-hp Formula 3 cars on 30th October in Mexico. Before then, the series will also visit the circuits in Spielberg (Austria), Silverstone (Great Britain), Budapest (Hungary), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Zandvoort (Netherlands) and Austin (USA).

Dave Ryan, Racing Director at W Series, said: "Hankook has vast experience in motorsport and has been an excellent partner since the start of our journey. We know they will once again deliver excellent performance, both in terms of their tyres and the trackside support they provide, as we race at eight of the world’s most iconic circuits this season in partnership with Formula 1."

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: "Hankook has supported the W Series as exclusive tyre partner from day one, because we want to help the young drivers find their feet and establish themselves in a motorsport world that is still male-dominated. We are pleased to be able to support the W Series again in 2021, now on the same bill as Formula 1. With the Ventus Race tyre, Hankook wants to help the drivers to show exactly what they are capable of on an international stage."

Images from Hankook

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