Hankook Team Farnbacher Ready for Le Mans Series at the Nürburgring

Hankook Team Farnbacher drivers Pierre Kaffer – this year’s class winner at the Le Mans 24 Hours – and Allan Simonsen in the GT2 class will be on the starting line for the 1000 kilometre race of the Le Mans Series, which is to be held at the Nürburgring on August 23. The Team will be driving a Ferrari F430 GT fitted with Hankook Ventus racing tyres.

The first tests at the Nürburgring went well, reports Hankook. The joint Hankook-Farnbacher Racing team expressed its confidence: “The tyres delivered a consistent performance over far greater distances”, reported Young Su Kim, directing engineer of racing tyre development at Hankook Tire. “The direct competitive comparison in the race will provide us with further valuable data for development – both in the area of racing tyres and for the next generation of road tyres.”

The team made its debut at this year’s Le Mans Series and has already recorded several successes. The first official test days on the Paul Ricard racetrack in southern France resulted in Pierre Kaffer finishing as the fastest driver in the GT2 class. In the first race, the 1000 Kilometres of Catalonia, Allan Simonsen and Christian Montanari drove themselves to a place on the winners’ podium.

“We aim to continue these successes on Sunday.” said Kaffer. “We have the right material, the tyres have performed well from the very beginning and have already undergone promising development during the season. The potential is there, and all we need now is that little bit of luck that is needed for a top position.”

Depending on the weather and track conditions, the Hankook Team Farnbacher Ferrari F430 GT will be fitted with Ventus F200 slicks, Ventus Z207 rain tyres or tailor-made intermediates in 280/650 R 18 size on the front axle and 280/710 R18 on the rear. The tyres will be fitted to 11×18-inch BBS rims. The team has different tread compounds available to match the axle position and track conditions.

Over 1,000 tyres will be used over the course of the whole season. Hankook Tire provides around 200 tyres in the drivers’ camp for the team at every race. The next and last race of the European Le Mans Series for this season takes place on 13th September at Silverstone, Great Britain. Immediately after the race the Hankook Team Farnbacher Ferrari will be prepared and shipped off to Japan for the 2 x 500 kilometre race of Okayana of the Asian Le Mans Series.