Hankook Tire & Technology began the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Season 12 this weekend in São Paulo, returning as the series’ exclusive tire supplier as the all-electric championship kicked off at the high-speed Anhembi Sambadrome street circuit.
The South Korean tire maker is using the season opener as a key showcase for its iON Race tire, which is designed specifically for electric racing vehicles and is positioned as a technology bridge to its consumer electric vehicle tire range. The Anhembi circuit, with its long straights, tight chicanes and sweeping corners, places heavy demands on grip consistency, thermal stability and traction under repeated high-load braking and acceleration.
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A mid-lap hairpin that feeds back onto the main straight is expected to be one of the most technically challenging sections, placing particular stress on rear traction and temperature management. Variable surface conditions and humidity typical of São Paulo add further complexity to tire performance throughout the race weekend.
Tire management remains a decisive factor in race strategy as Formula E continues to evolve with higher power outputs and faster cars. DS PENSKE driver Maximilian Günther highlighted the importance of tire control across race distance. “The tire is a defining element for success,” Günther said. “In qualifying you can feel its peak performance, but in the race it’s all about how you manage that performance over time.”
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Hankook said data collected from Formula E competition is directly feeding into the development of its road-going iON tire lineup for electric vehicles. The company’s research focus includes minimizing rolling resistance to extend driving range, stabilizing the tire’s contact patch under high torque loads and controlling heat generation during sustained high-speed driving.
Manfred Sandbichler, senior director of Hankook Motorsport, said the new season marks an important phase for the company’s electric vehicle strategy. “The season opener represents a new chapter for us in electric motorsport,” Sandbichler said, adding that Hankook aims to build on technical momentum gained with its championship partners.
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Formula E’s Season 12 opener in Brazil comes as global automakers continue to increase their reliance on motorsport as a testbed for EV technologies tied to efficiency, durability and real-world performance.
