FIA confirms Hankook for Junior WRC
The FIA has appointed South Korean tyre manufacturer, Hankook, to be the official tyre supplier for the 2013 Junior WRC Championship.Hankook will take over from Pirelli, the sole supplier in 2011 and 2012 when the series was known as the WRC Academy.Hankook will provide tyres from its Ventus Z range for tarmac rallies and Ventus R range for gravel events. Both types of tyres have tread patterns specially designed for front-wheel-drive cars.
As part of the deal, the Junior WRC crews will receive training sessions with Hankook engineers to learn about the tyres’ differing performances and handling characteristics, as well the importance of tyre management.
Jarmo Mahonen, FIA Rally Director, said: “Hankook Tire, with its history of supporting motor sport at all levels, will help the next generation of rally drivers to develop and progress through rallying’s ‘ladder of opportunity’. We look forward to working closely as we seek to further improve this already successful series.”
The 2013 FIA Junior WRC Championship takes in six European rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship, and starts with the Rally de Portugal in April.
