New Hankook Tires Set for Rally of Greece

The Acropolis Rally in Greece, taking place next week, will feature an enhanced version of Hankook's gravel tires. This change is crucial, as it marks the beginning of seven consecutive gravel rallies.

Hankook has quickly responded to criticism regarding the hard compound tire used in the Rally of Portugal, making significant adjustments to improve its durability. Although the validation period has been short, WRC teams have been testing the new tire in recent trials. This is the second updated tire Hankook has launched this season, following the debut of a soft compound gravel tire before the Safari Rally in Kenya.

Steven Cho, a representative of Hankook, explains that this is more of an evolution than a completely new tire. The adjustments focus on the tread thickness, resulting in improvements in performance and consistency. The challenging conditions of the Greek stages, characterized by hot gravel and uneven terrain, will be a true test for this tire.

Hyundai sees this race as an opportunity to challenge Toyota, their main competitor, leveraging their previous success in Greece. Thierry Neuville is optimistic about his team's chances.