Premiere with Dolce Vita: Misano on the Riviera welcomes Hankook and Formula E

- Formula E and Hankook head to Misano, Italy for another premiere on the 13^th and 14^th of April
- Pascal Wehrlein from Germany became the new championship leader after his fifth place in Japan
- Formula E will host an additional session for rookies, who are yet to take part in an E-Prix. They will gain experience with the Gen3 car and Hankook iON Race

Seoul, Korea, April 9, 2024 – From the global metropolis of Tokyo in Japan to the picturesque Italian town of Misano: the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is looking forward to another premiere. The double-header – races six and seven of the season – will take place for the first time on the Adriatic Riviera in the province of Rimini. Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli will host the races on the 13^th and 14^th of April. The 3.382-kilometer circuit will put the Hankook iON Race and the 22 drivers through their paces with a mix of long, fast straights and technically demanding corners. Misano replaces the Rome E-Prix that was originally planned. “Formula E is a great opportunity for our country,” says Andrea Abodi, Italian Minister for Sport. “After many wonderful years in Rome, the next Italian E-Prix will take place in Misano in 2024. Motorsport has a special place in the hearts of Italians. We have learned to appreciate these new cars, which give us hope for the future.”

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Director Motorsport: “After the magnificent race on the streets of Tokyo, we are now looking forward to the next outing in Italy. It is precisely this variety between street circuits and permanent racetracks, global metropolises, and popular holiday destinations on the coast, which makes Formula E so special. The circuit, which hosts MotoGP each year, has plenty of variety. Our Hankook iON Race will be able to exploit its strengths there and offer the drivers optimal support as they battle for victory out on the track.”

The new championship leader after his fifth place in Japan is Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) from Germany. He tops the table with 63 points, just two more than his closest rival, New Zealander Nick Cassidy from the Jaguar TCS Racing team, who ended the race in Tokyo in eighth place. Britain’s Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) follows in third place with 54 points.

Nico Müller from the ABT Cupra Formula E Team finished seventh in Tokyo, picking up his first points of the season and confirming the improvement in form shown by the team. Having gained an initial impression in the simulator, the Swiss driver reports back on the Misano circuit and what awaits the Hankook iON Race:

Nico Müller: “The race in Misano is a totally different challenge to Tokyo for the Hankook iON Race. The circuit is very smooth and I believe we can expect a relatively large amount of grip. There are many corners, in which we will have a “combined load”, which means we must either brake and steer at the same time or accelerate and steer. I also expect a lot of contact with the curbs. That is definitely a challenge for the tire, but we know that the Hankook’s tire is very consistent. As such, I am not at all worried about that. The key will be to get the tire into the ideal temperature range as quickly as possible and to adjust the set-up so that we can fully exploit the potential of the tire in these combined phases. The topic of energy management will also be very important for us drivers, as we have a 28-lap race on Saturday and a race with 26 laps on Sunday.”

Before the first official free practice session on the 12^th of April, Misano also hosts an additional session for rookies. From 14:30 to 15:00, drivers who are yet to take part in an E-Prix will be able to gain experience with the Gen3 car and the Hankook iON Race. The next generation of Formula E drivers will have a second opportunity on the day after the Berlin E-Prix on the 13^th of May.

Hankook and the Formula E World Championship enjoyed a magnificent premiere in the land of the rising sun. Glorious sunshine, packed grandstands, and plenty of action on and off the track made the Tokyo E-Prix a spectacular motorsport festival. The overjoyed winner was Maximilian Günther from Germany.

The most exciting and impressive images from Japan are available here in the Hankook Highlight Clip.

As well as on YouTube, regular news and information on Hankook’s involvement in Formula E can also be found on X and Instagram.

You can find the current Hankook Press Kit for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with a preview of the coming race in Misano, here.