With a comprehensive development programme spanning around one year, eight countries and more than 2,100 kilometres of rigorous testing, the Korean manufacturer is determined to make an immediate impact. While 2025 marks Hankook’s first foray into supplying WRC tyres, it already boasts extensive experience in national rally series and the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC).
Ahead of the debut, wrc.com spoke with Hankook’s European Motorsport Director Manfred Sandbichler to gain insights on the testing process ahead of Rallye Monte-Carlo.
With the new World Rally Championship (WRC) season just weeks away, what’s the mood like at Hankook?
Over the past few months, Hankook Tire has successfully completed a series of projects, including numerous development tests, production, logistics, and the establishment of a service team. Throughout this process, we have worked closely with the FIA, promoters, and manufacturers to prepare for the WRC season.
Now, with just a few weeks remaining until Monte Carlo, Hankook Tire is excited and filled with anticipation as we are set to exclusively supply tyres for the WRC, the world’s premier motorsport event. We are honoured to offer drivers the opportunity to experience the excellence of Hankook Tire.
With vast experience in developing rally tyres and a strong presence in the European Rally Championship (ERC) over the past two seasons, what insights have you gained and applied to the development of the tyres for the WRC?
Hankook Tire has built a reputation for its technical expertise through years of developing and supplying tyres for Europe's national and regional rally events. Additionally, we have continuously conducted in-depth research on tyre performance and usage conditions while supplying tyres and managing teams in both the ERC and WRC.
For the 2025 WRC project, we have dedicated the past two years to research and development. This effort was reflected in national championship titles secured in Hungary and the Czech Republic, where our tyres demonstrated their excellence. By supplying tyres for Junior ERC and ERC, we validated the durability of our tyres while proactively identifying areas for improvement, which allowed us to efficiently shorten the development period for WRC tyres.
Rallying is one of the world’s most demanding motorsports, with unparalleled variation in surface conditions. How does your approach to preparing tyres for the challenges of the WRC differ from your approach to other motorsports, such as Formula E?
Formula E is an electric vehicle racing series conducted on urban street circuits. Unlike conventional racing tyres that use distinct tread patterns for dry and wet conditions, Formula E tyres are designed with a single tread pattern to perform in both scenarios. As a result, these tyres must meet stringent performance standards across varying weather conditions while also optimizing rolling resistance.
In contrast, WRC tyres face more diverse and extreme environments, where durability is critical due to the rough conditions of many rally stages. While Tarmac rally tyres share similarities with Formula E tyres as both are used on paved surfaces, WRC gravel, snow, and ice tyres require distinct development approaches that are specific to each surface. Hankook Tire is making continuous efforts to meet the specific performance demands for each tyre type.
Having worked closely with the FIA and teams during testing days throughout 2024, what initial feedback have you received from the teams, and more specifically, from the drivers testing these tyres?
We did have some initial concerns due to our lack of experience with the Rally1 Hybrid vehicles. However, starting with the winter tyre test in February, we did not encounter any durability issues, such as punctures, and during subsequent evaluations we were able to confirm consistent performance throughout the testing process.
In the first evaluations of the gravel and Tarmac hard tyres, we received valuable feedback regarding wear resistance and grip performance. Top-tier WRC1 drivers provided detailed insights, which enabled us to address the issues quickly through indoor testing and ongoing research. As a result, we have successfully completed all real-world evaluations and are now fully prepared to supply all tyres.
Who decides which drivers participate in tyre testing — is it you, the FIA, or the teams? What limitations are there?
Throughout the tyre development process, Hankook Tire has held regular technical meetings with the FIA, almost weekly, to ensure that all WRC1 manufacturers are given equal opportunities. Every stage, from development planning and execution to tyre specification selection and allocation, was decided in close collaboration with the FIA. Under WRC1 standards, each manufacturer conducted evaluations with nearly equal mileage, covering approximately 500–700 kilometers.
Hankook Tire requested that the FIA select test teams, after which the FIA then contacted the manufacturers for their choices before notifying Hankook Tire. The driver selection process was entirely handled by the manufacturers, with neither Hankook Tire nor the FIA intervening.
The following P1 drivers participated in the evaluations for the development of the 2025 WRC tyres:
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team: Esapekka Lappi, Andreas Mikkelsen, Dani Sordo
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT: Takamoto Katsuta, Elfyn Evans, Kalle Rovanperä
M-Sport Ford World Rally: Adrien Fourmaux, Grégoire Munster
What does a typical day of testing entail? Were various different compounds available for each test?
As mentioned earlier, we conducted structural and compound evaluations with different manufacturers during each test to ensure equal opportunities.
Typically, we prepared 3 to 4 evaluation specifications and conducted tests in the morning. The most promising specification from these evaluations was then subjected to a long-run test in the afternoon.
After testing on various road surfaces, we meticulously analysed the data and held internal discussions to determine the most suitable specifications. Subsequently, we finalised the specifications for each tyre through close collaboration with the FIA, ensuring the process maximised tyre performance and durability.
Where do you believe drivers will experience the most notable differences in the tyres during 2025?
Robustness has been the central focus of the 2025 WRC tyre development process. Following the tender approval in December 2023, the FIA and manufacturers emphasised the need for exceptional durability in the new tyres. In response, we focused on delivering reliable driving experience, even under the most extreme conditions, to ensure safer and more stable performance for drivers on the road. In response, we focused on delivering reliable driving experience, even under the most extreme conditions, to ensure safer and more stable performance for drivers on the road.
Also, Hankook Tire is making company-wide efforts to enhance sustainability in motorsport activities. The company is actively integrating recycled materials into the production of WRC tyres and aims to increase their usage ratio to over 20% by 2030.
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