Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Race highlight at the Norisring: Hankook race tyres take to Germany’s only street circuit at the weekend
giugno 23, 2016 - Hankook

Race highlight at the Norisring: Hankook race tyres take to Germany’s only street circuit at the weekend

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DTM fans can look forward to an absolute highlight this weekend. The #norisring, the only street circuit in Germany, will host what is probably the most popular international touring car series. The 2.3-kilometre stretch of asphalt in the heart of Nuremberg is known as the “Franconian Monaco” for its unique atmosphere and flair. The narrow track and proximity of the crash barriers means the drivers must be fully focussed at all times. Despite the unique asphalt conditions at the #norisring, the drivers have been able to rely completely on the performance of the race tyres of exclusive DTM partner #hankook in recent years.

Nuremberg/Germany, 23rd June 2016 – Everyday traffic is usually to be found on the #norisring. As such, the track surface, which has been repaired and patched up on many occasions, is dirty and consists of many different types of asphalt. While the #racing line is swept clean over the course of the race weekend, the drivers should avoid straying from this line where possible. In the adjacent dirty areas, it is relatively easy to miss the breaking point or even to spin. “The surface at the #norisring is worn and uneven, and the asphalt is dirty. However, it is smooth and with very few cracks. For this reason, there is relatively little tyre wear,” explains DTM race engineer Thomas Baltes.

The narrow street circuit features high-speed straights, followed by complex combinations of corners and hairpins, for which the drivers must brake from approximately 250 kilometres per hour down to just 50. The many bumps make it particularly difficult to hit the braking point spot on. Thomas Baltes: “The bumps at the #norisring can be compensated for with the right balance and low tyre pressure. However, one should not overdo it on the latter, in order to ensure the #hankook race tyre is able to perform consistently.”

The high grip potential of the tyre again plays a key role on the smooth #norisring track. Particularly when exiting corners, the drivers need a lot of grip in order to quickly accelerate back to top speed. They must be particularly careful on the exit from the “Schöller S”, where they come perilously close to the wall and many wing mirrors have been lost in recent years.

For spectators, the DTM races at the #norisring are a thrilling motor #racing spectacle. Nowhere else do the cars pass in front of the fans as often as on the 2.3-kilometre circuit. One lap, between the Grundig Hairpin and Dutzendteich, lasts just 50 seconds. The #hankook DTM race engineer: “The #norisring is a real highlight for drivers and fans alike. There are key points before practically every corner. Braking into the corner is extremely important here, as you have to hit the right line and accelerate out of the corner again with a lot of traction. In the past, drivers have always been able to rely on the high degree of grip offered by the #hankook slicks. If it rains, however, they need to exercise caution. Large puddles can soon form on the street circuit, meaning the drivers have to rely a lot on their instincts.”