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  • Formula E

Interview with Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer

Interview with Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer

Three-time overall winner of the legendary 24-hour race in Le Mans and 2012 WEC champion – Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer has been enjoying a very successful motorsport career and, thanks to his expertise, has been a significant factor in the success of the premium product and new standardised tyre in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Hankook iON Race.

The iON Race will remain unchanged for Season 10. What are you working on currently?

It goes without saying that I would love to spend all my time in the car working on the tyres, that is what I prefer to do. But that’s not always an option. Currently, I am observing and analysing the latest tyres. I’ll discuss the results with the engineers and then we will plan a new development programme.

After a year in Formula E – what is your conclusion regarding the Hankook iON Race?

As expected, the drivers and teams found it difficult to exploit the tyre’s full potential at the start of the season because they were unfamiliar with the tyre. But at the end of Season 9, we saw that the tyre had worked very well at every track and in all conditions – without any safety issues and with low wear and tear.

Do you think that based on the experiences of the teams in Season 9, the drivers will be able to get even more out of the tyres?

Last year we predicted that every team would be much faster at testing in Valencia in the second season, and this was the case. The step won’t be quite as big next year, but I expect that some teams will improve their performance more significantly than others.

Without giving too much away: Why will the Season 11 tyre be even better than the current version?

With the result that we achieved in the ninth season, I feel that we are in the position of developing tyres with even better performance that are very sustainable and subject to low wear and tear. This is the result of our experience and feedback from the FIA, teams, and, of course, the drivers.

For decades, Hankook has been one of the first ports of call when it comes to international motorsport. Hankook supplies its race tyres to globally-renowned series, high-class junior formats and popular grassroot events. With new collaborations and partnerships, the company is constantly enhancing its status as a global player on the motorsport scene. Since the 2023 season, Hankook has been the new and exclusive technical partner and tyre supplier of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. In close cooperation with Formula E, the iON Race was developed for the world championship. Roughly 30 percent of the high-performance tyre is made of sustainable materials. With this commitment, Hankook is taking another pioneering step towards energy efficiency and sustainability in motorsport. The premium tyre maker has also agreed a further collaboration with Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini Squadra Corse and has been official technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo since 2023. Hankook’s portfolio covers a broad spectrum. This includes the 24H Series powered by Hankook, one of the most prestigious endurance series in the world, as well as the FIA ERC4 Junior Championship on the rally scene. Hankook also supports popular touring car championship TCR Italy, many high-class one-make cups for a wide range of renowned manufacturers, junior single-seater series, and assorted international racing events with race tyres and technical know-how.

You can find more information at https://www.hankook-motorsport-media.com

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Interview with Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer

Benoit Treluyer, FIA FE Development Driver, Top Gear interview during the 2023 Hankook London ePrix, 12th meeting of the 2022-23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, on the ExCeL London from July 29 to 30, 2023 in London, United Kingdom - Photo Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

File size: 2 MB

Interview with Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer

25 VERGNE Jean-Eric (fra), DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23, action during the 2023 Valencia Pre-Season Testing prior the 2023-24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, on the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo from October 24 to 27, 2023 in Valencia, Spain - Photo Julien Delfosse / DPPI

File size: 4 MB

Interview with Hankook’s test and development driver Benoît Tréluyer

hankook, tyre, tire during the 2023 Valencia Pre-Season Testing prior the 2023-24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, on the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo from October 24 to 370, 2023 in Valencia, Spain - Photo Thomas Fenetre / DPPI

File size: 2 MB

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