Hankook 24H Barcelona: Hard Braking Points, High Kerbs and Cool Nights

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 08.09.2022 – Title decider in Barcelona. The 24H Series powered by Hankook is at the Formula 1 circuit in Catalonia this weekend for the final race of the European Championship. Leaders Phoenix Racing and second-placed team CP Racing are well placed to clinch the GT title coming into the final event. In the TCE class, the BBR team holds a virtually unassailable 28-point lead. Title sponsor and exclusive tyre partner Hankook will support the teams and drivers with its high-end Ventus Race tyre and the expertise of its race engineers at the grand finale, just as it has done throughout the entire season.

Roughly 40 cars will line up at the Hankook 24H Barcelona. The grip level at the 4.675-kilometre, high-speed circuit is high. The same goes for the track temperatures, meaning the Hankook race tyre can quickly be brought up to its working temperature. The straights, some of which are long, are followed by hard braking points, which can lead to tyre wear in the long run. “A flowing driving style is important in Barcelona. You have to hit the braking points spot on and, above all, get the kerbs right. They may be flat, but the problem is the green deflectors and the yellow bananas behind them. They are additional kerbs, which are intended to prevent the drivers from leaving the track,” says Hankook Motorsport Director Europe, Manfred Sandbichler.

With 16 corners of different speeds, long straights, and a slower section, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya poses a real challenge and not only keeps the drivers busy, but also puts Hankook’s Ventus Race under almost permanent strain. Manfred Sandbichler: “The track stresses both the running surface and the construction of the race tyre. The only place they get a rest is on the straights. For this reason, the car set-up should be rather defensive, in order to avoid putting too much strain on the Ventus Race at this fast circuit.”

Temperatures can fall dramatically in the night, with drops of up to 15 degrees by no means a rarity at the Formula 1 circuit in Catalonia. Teams must react to this by adjusting the tyre pressure, in order to keep the Ventus Race in the ideal working window. “Compared to other circuits in the 24H Series, the strain on the Hankook race tyre is medium to high in Barcelona. The greatest strain comes from the hard contact with the kerbs. In recent years, the Ventus Race has always performed very well in Barcelona. The starters can depend on that again at the finale of this year’s European Championship,” promises Hankook Motorsport Director Europe, Manfred Sandbichler.

The 24H Series powered by Hankook will stage the finale of the Championship of the Continents at the final round of the season, from 30^th November to 2^nd December in Kuwait.

Schedule for the Hankook 24H Barcelona (local time)

Photos:  Petr Frýba