Hankook to supply W Series with Ventus race tyre

The Hockenheimring is the stage for a world premiere this coming weekend. The iconic circuit near Heidelberg hosts the inaugural round of the women-only W Series, which shares the bill with the DTM.

As a partner from the outset, premium tyre maker Hankook has supplied the new racing series with the Ventus Race tyre, with the intention of helping young female drivers to develop in a motorsport world that is still very much dominated by their male counterparts.

The new W Series features on the support programme for the DTM at six events. 20 young women from 15 countries line up at the wheel of a 270-hp Formula 3 racer. A total prize purse of €1.5m is up for grabs.

Fabienne Wohlwend is one of the 20 young drivers who emerged from the 50 candidates at the selection test to take her place in the W Series. The Liechtensteiner first sat in a kart at the age of seven, before stepping up to Formula 4.

Wohlwend said: “I coped very well with the Hankook tyre in the front-wheel drive Audi Sport TT Cup. It is exactly the same story in the Formula car in the W Series. The tyre is incredibly consistent and you can still set top lap times even late in the race. For me, it is an advantage that I already know the Hankook race tyre well, and it suits my driving style perfectly.”