Press Release

  • Motorsport

Hankook iON Race Endures Jeddah's Speed, Heat, and Night Conditions in Formula E's Double-Header

  • Pascal Wehrlein claimed victory in Round 4 and António Félix Da Costa triumphed in Round 5 as Hankook's iON Race supported competitive, strategy-driven racing as teams managed evolving track and tyre temperatures under the lights
Hankook iON Race Endures Jeddah's Speed, Heat, and Night Conditions in Formula E's Double-Header

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 19. February 2026 – As the championship’s exclusive tyre partner, premium tyre manufacturer Hankook supported the field throughout Season 12’s Saudi Arabian double-header at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Under the circuit’s floodlights, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship delivered two nights of wheel-to-wheel races that pushed both driver skill and tyre management to the limit.

In Round 4 on 13 February, Pascal Wehrlein of Porsche Formula E Team secured victory by sustained pace and decisive positioning through Jeddah’s rapid street layout. The following night, António Félix Da Costa of Jaguar TCS Racing emerged victorious in Round 5 after drivers balanced outright speed with energy and tyre management to the finish.

Adapted to suit Formula E’s regenerative braking and energy dynamics, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit’s 3.001-kilometer, 19-turn layout combined long, fast straights with technical chicanes and heavy braking zones.

Throughout the weekend, Hankook’s iON Race tyre delivered dependable grip under high loads while maintaining consistent thermal control and optimized rolling resistance—an essential balance in Formula E, where tyre behavior is closely linked to energy efficiency and race strategy.

“Jeddah under the lights produced two demanding races with their own strategic patterns,” said Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director of Hankook Motorsport. “Across both rounds, the iON Race demonstrated stable and consistent performance in conditions where track behavior and tyre temperatures evolved through each session. Such tyre predictability is essential in helping teams execute their strategies on such a fast and technically complex circuit, and the data gathered here will feed directly into our ongoing iON development program.”

Following the double-header, Formula E hosted the global creator invitation program EVO Sessions 2 on February 15. First launched after last season’s Miami E-Prix, the initiative generated over 280 million views across Formula E’s ecosystem digital platforms, extending global exposure for Hankook’s iON Race technology. A total of 10 international creators — including Khaby Lame, Behzinga, TheBurntChip, and presenter Izzy Hammond — took part in the session, driving the GEN3 Evo race car capable of 322 km/h and 0–100 km/h in 1.86 seconds on the official circuit. Calfreezy and Vikkstar played the roles of Team Principals at EVO Sessions 2. Throughout the program, Hankook’s iON Race delivered strong grip and handling stability, demonstrating its advanced EV tyre performance in a high-speed motorsport environment.

Formula E next moves to Round 6 in Madrid on 21 March 2026, where the championship will race at the Circuito de Madrid Jarama on a tighter, more technical permanent circuit configuration as Hankook’s iON Race remains at the center of the action—supporting competitive racing on track.

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 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 collaboration with Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini Squadra Corse, and has been official technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series since 2023. The premium tyre maker’s portfolio covers a broad spectrum. This includes the FIA ERC4 Junior Championship for young and talented rally drivers. 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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Hankook iON Race Endures Jeddah's Speed, Heat, and Night Conditions in Formula E's Double-Header

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Hankook iON Race Endures Jeddah's Speed, Heat, and Night Conditions in Formula E's Double-Header

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Hankook iON Race Endures Jeddah's Speed, Heat, and Night Conditions in Formula E's Double-Header

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