Hankook Farnbacher Racing Team goes well equipped to the 24 Hours Race at the Nuerburgring

• First Ferrari ever at the 24 Hours in the “Green Hell”
• Second highlight of the season at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, May 14, 2010 – Hankook Tire, currently the seventh largest tyre manufacturer in the world, and among the fastest growing, looks forward to the highlights of the season of its European motorsports activities. This year, the Hankook Farnbacher Racing Team employs a Ferrari racing car at the 24 Hours Race at the Nuerburgring, additionally to the activities in Le Mans. By doing so, Hankook Tire once again emphasises their clear commitment to motorsports. With the Ferrari F430 GTC of the  Hankook Farnbacher Racing Teams, for the first time ever, a racing car from Maranello will participate in the 24 hours in the „Green Hell“.

Crew Chief Horst Farnbacher looks especially forward to the race at the Nuerburgring: “In our opening season 2009, we already ran through the scenario, to compete here in the Green Hell. We are convinced that our package has the potential to successfully handle this challenging track. At the first tests in the endurance series at the Nuerburgring, we prepared a good base setup and finalised the tyre adjustment. “The popular Gran Tourismo in the typical Hankook design in black, orange, silver and white is built-on following the 2010 FIA GT2 regulations. Compared to the models from previous year, it has different bodywork and a modified air restrictor due to which the car has more power.

The 2010 Hankook Team Farnbacher Ferrari F430 GTC will be equipped with Ventus F 200 Hankook slicks, Ventus Z 207 rain tyres and, depending on the particular use, customised intermediates in sizes 310/650 R 18 on the front axle and 320/710 R18 on the rear axle, which are mounted on the BBS rims of sizes 12x18 at the front and 13x18 at the back. For the 24 Hours Race at the Nuerburgring, the team can choose from different tread compounds which are aligned to the positions of the axles, taking into account the respective track surfaces and operating conditions. To harmonise the balance of the racing car with the tyre performance over a distance, the front axle tyres are set one level softer than the corresponding rear axle tyres.

“We take pride to sponsor as first tyre manufacturer ever, a Ferrari at the North Loop“, says Manfred Sandbichler, Motorsports Manager Hankook Tire Europe. “The team does a very good job. We are well-equipped for all tyre related eventualities. The expertise, we gained at the Nuerburgring in numerous races in the last years, inures to our benefits. It has helped to develop the optimum Ferrari package for the Nuerburgring.”

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