Hankook might examine creating a bespoke tyre to particularly deal with the acute Acropolis Rally Greece circumstances sooner or later.
Tyres have been as soon as once more a sizzling subject on the newest spherical of the World Rally Championship, as Greece’s excessive tough gravel inflicted a sequence of punctures that contributed to the result of the rally.
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Hankook introduced a revised exhausting compound tyre to the occasion after receiving criticism concerning the sturdiness of its exhausting compound gravel tyre following Rally Portugal. Within the quick time main as much as the Acropolis Rally, Hankook was capable of validate an replace to the tyre by rising the thickness of the tread to enhance its sturdiness.
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WRC groups and crews confirmed that the tyre was a step ahead in regard to limiting delaminations, however punctures remained a speaking level. Solely rally winner and M-Sport-Ford’s escaped punctures throughout the course of the rally, which featured some sections that have been a lot rougher than in earlier years.
Ogier, who misplaced a possible win in Portugal as a result of a puncture, confirmed the product was certainly an enchancment however believes the one answer transferring ahead is for the tyre manufacture to develop a particular tyre only for this occasion given its distinctive tyre punishing circumstances.
Through the occasion, the nine-time world champion led a profitable push for that he felt would have been too robust for the tyres to deal with.
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“The one [tyre] we utilized in Portugal wouldn’t have completed one stage right here, so clearly there was some step,” Ogier advised Motorsport.com. “However on the identical time within the excessive circumstances, now we have seen the true answer can be to have particular tyre for right here prefer it was once previously.”
Race winner Sebastien Ogier was one in every of two driver to keep away from punctures
Race winner Sebastien Ogier was one in every of two driver to keep away from punctures
When requested if Hankook would take into account creating a tyre sooner or later to particularly deal with the Acropolis, the model’s WRC consultant stated: “I feel it’s value completely. Every part has implications after all and I don’t simply imply from my aspect. For certain it’s one thing that may be thought of and it has been raised a number of instances. Because it has been raised by vital individuals, it’s value fascinated by.
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“It’s ton of labor, after all, however that’s what we do. So, if that’s one thing that we really feel is vital for the game and if there’s broad help for it, then it’s one thing we are able to take into account.
“For us, it’s combined emotions as we made such large effort to make enhancements to come back right here and as now we have heard from just about everybody concerned, all of the stakeholders have acknowledged that the tyres have made an excellent step ahead. That is constructive. However, after all, each time there’s a tyre-related difficulty now we have to do a detailed evaluation to attempt to perceive how a lot of that’s simply Acropolis and the place are the areas we are able to focus subsequent to maintain it transferring ahead so that may be a little bit of labor for us to do after the occasion.”
Maybe probably the most high-profile punctures have been suffered by Hyundai’s , who was taken out of the struggle for victory with Ogier by a double failure within the penultimate stage.
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The 2024 world champion believes the answer just isn’t purely down to simply bettering tyres, and feels the occasion organiser may assist the state of affairs by choosing roads with fewer excessive sections.
Thierry Neuville suffered a race-defining double puncture
Thierry Neuville suffered a race-defining double puncture
“There was no influence however there are such a lot of stones round you don’t know. The Energy Stage was in a lot worse circumstances and no person suffered a puncture. It’s [a lottery],” he advised Motorsport.com.
“I’ve had the query whether or not the promoter ought to assessment the roads or the tyre manufacture ought to enhance the tyres, and I feel there’s a little bit of each.
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“With the expertise now we have had over the previous years, I’ve seen plenty of rallies and the circumstances are capable of shock me. So, it means it’s fairly robust and tough.
“I’ve pushed with plenty of tyres over time, and I do know what is feasible and what they’ll do. I feel there’s room for enchancment on either side. Perhaps the roads must be a bit smoother and the tyres could be barely stronger. They’ve a tough life right here.”
When requested in regards to the Hankook tyre’s efficiency, M-Sport-Ford crew principal Richard Millener was eager to level out that the event of the fashionable WRC Rally1 automotive has made the job of the tyre producer extremely tough.
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Richard Millener admits Hankook has
Richard Millener admits Hankook has
“The one means you’ll be able to have a look at it’s to go and watch a Greece rally from a few years in the past once we had Pirelli and see what number of punctures they’d and see what number of punctures we had right here. I’m nearly certain it will not be 1,000,000 miles away,” he stated.
“The automobiles are the quickest they’ve ever been. The drivers are driving tougher than they’ve ever pushed earlier than, and the temperature is extremely excessive. Every part’s higher, and you may mainly discover that the higher you make the automotive, the tougher it’s for the tyre.
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“In the event you look within the Rally2 class and there have been punctures however far much less. These Rally1 automobiles are simply unbelievable items of equipment, and I feel Hankook for certain can enhance a bit of bit extra, however everyone can enhance in the event that they need to. It is discovering a cheerful medium.
“In the event you look, there have been no actual delamination over the weekend, which I feel was an enormous concern. They have been nervous about it, they usually pushed exhausting to get the brand new exhausting tyre right here to make issues higher, which they did.
“I nonetheless frequently say that every one of their gear, all of their data that they provide the groups and media is way superior to something we have ever had. We should not bash them an excessive amount of. They have a tough job, and it’ll at all times be the fault of the tyre if one thing occurs.”
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