Hankook Tire and the W Series enter the second half of the season with Formula 1

Ever since the inaugural W Series in 2019, premium tire maker Hankook Tire has been the exclusive tire partner of the all-woman racing series, which is the only one of its kind in the world. In 2021, the W Series features on the support programme for Formula 1 and shares the bill with the pinnacle of motor racing on eight Grand Prix weekends. The drivers have already completed four rounds on Hankook’s high-end Ventus Race tire. This weekend, the single-seater series enters the second half of the season at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, August 27, 2021 - Jamie Chadwick comes into the second half of this season’s W Series as defending champion and with a one-point lead at the top of the overall standings. Her closest rival is compatriot Alice Powell. The two Brits have shared the victories in the four races so far between themselves.

Both drivers recorded a win when the season kicked off with a double-header at the Red Bull Ring, Austria, in June. 28-year-old Powell then won their home race in Silverstone. Last time out, at the Hungaroring, it was the woman four years her junior who climbed onto the top step of the podium. As Chadwick’s other results have been the better of the two, it is she that tops the overall standings. Third, 36 points behind the championship leader, is Nerea Marti from Spain.

After Spa-Francorchamps, the W Series heads to Zandvoort, Netherlands, the following week. From there, the series travels to Austin, Texas, and the Circuit of The Americas in October. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico hosts the finale. In the W Series, up to 20 drivers line up in 270-hp Formula race cars with identical chassis and engines. With its predictability and high level of consistency, Hankook Tire’s Ventus Race tire is an ideal partner for the drivers, who need not focus on tire management, but can instead gain valuable racing experience out on the track.

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “The W Series has landed a real coup with its starts at Formula 1 events. This automatically brings this extraordinary format to the fore in the international motorsport world. Hankook Tire has supported the W Series as exclusive tire partner since it was launched. During this time, the drivers have learned a huge amount and are improving with every race. We are proud to be able to contribute to this improvement with our race tire.”