Hankook’s newly tweaked hard‑compound tyre was thrust into the spotlight when Greece’s precincts of gravel rattled it to breaking point at the Acropolis Rally.
Revamped compound meets brutal gravel
In the week before the event, Hankook added a considerable thickness to the tread of its Rally1 hard tyre, a move aimed at countering the delamination concerns that surfaced after the hard compound’s outing in Portugal. Teams and crews across the grid noted a visible reduction in the tearing of the tyre’s outer layer, earning the carmaker praise for a “step forward.” However, the stubborn puncture frequency remained a persistent theme.
Punctures shape the podium narrative
Only nine‑time champion Sebastian Ogier and M‑Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean escaped the puncture soup that bled through the rally. Ogier’s rivals suffered varying degrees of tyre damage, including Thierry Neuville’s double failure on the penultimate stage, which stripped him of a fight for victory with Ogier. The tally of lost laps and stages from punctures directly influenced the final standing.
Ogier demands stadium‑specific tyre treatment
After the rally, Ogier remarked that the hard tyre used in Portugal “wouldn’t have survived even a single stage” at the Acropolis. He advocated shortening stage 12 by 4.5 km, citing the extreme road exposure as jeopardising tyre durability. Ogier summed up the situation in a direct line: “The only real solution would be to have a special tyre for this event, just as it used to be in the past.”
Hankook considers bespoke option
A WRC representative from Hankook admitted that the conversation about a bespoke Acropolis tyre “has been raised a few times” and that the company is open to the idea. “If a broad stakeholder backing exists, we can give it our full attention,” the spokesperson said, noting the substantial work required for a dedicated design.
Pushing the limit of modern Rally1 cars
Richard Millener, principal of M‑Sport Ford, underscored how the performance gains of the current Rally1 machines increase tyre strain. “The cars are the fastest, and the drivers are pushing harder than ever,” he explained. Millener added that while the tyre program can still sharpen its edge, the complexities grow as vehicles accelerate, temperature rises, and race durations lengthen. Despite the challenges, Millener acknowledged that with the new hard tyre “we see no real delamination over the weekend— a major relief for the teams.”
Road selection and safety balance
Neuville highlighted that the event’s loops could be moderately smoother to lessen puncture luck. “The promoter should review the roads, just as tyre manufacturers invest in tougher compounds,” he said. He implied that a joint effort—regularly smoothing segments while advancing tyre technology—would reduce the unpredictable stone‑induced failures that frequently mar the rally’s outcome.
Considering the hard‑compound’s resilience gains, the spike in puncture‑induced withdrawals, and the drivers’ calls for targeted solutions, the debate over a dedicated Acropolis tyre remains a pivotal crossroad for Hankook and the WRC’s future technical strategies.
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