The upcoming Acropolis Rally in Greece will be the stage for the debut of new revised gravel tires designed by Hankook, a change well-received by teams in the World Rally Championship (WRC).
These modifications come after criticism received during the Rally of Portugal, where the durability of the hard compound model was questioned. Hankook has quickly worked to adjust its product, which will debut in Greece next week.
Improvements in durability
The Korean company has focused its efforts on improving the durability of the new Dynapro tire model. Despite a limited validation period, WRC teams have been able to test the new tires during pre-testing sessions that took place last week.
This is the second set of updated tires that Hankook has introduced this season, following the launch of a new soft compound model before the Kenya Safari Rally in March.
Details of the modifications
Steven Cho, Hankook’s representative in the WRC, explained that it is “a small tuning” compared to the specifications used in Portugal. The changes include an adjustment of the tread thickness, which, although modest, has resulted in a significant improvement in performance and consistency.
The challenge of the warm and difficult gravel tracks in Greece will represent a great challenge for these new tires, which will be widely discussed throughout the competition.
Team expectations
Hyundai hopes to take advantage of the opportunity to return to the gravel tracks to compete with Toyota, the current championship leader. Thierry Neuville, winner of the 2024 Acropolis, stated that his brand has traditionally excelled in this type of rally, and their confidence grows if weather conditions are favorable during the competition.
With the new tire options in play, the WRC of Greece promises to be an exciting event full of surprises for fans and participating teams.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
