Hankook Appointed Official Control Tire Supplier for Australia’s ‘APCES’ Endurance Racing Series

- Exclusively supplies ‘Ventus TD (Z221) R-Spec’ tires for the 2026–2027 season of Australia’s premier endurance racing series ‘APCES’
- Delivers outstanding grip, handling, and heat resistance through an optimized tread pattern and advanced compound technologies
- Strengthens global top-tier technological competitiveness through real-world racing data secured under extreme endurance racing conditions

Seoul, Korea, May 29, 2026 — A leading global tire company Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook) has partnered with the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) and has been appointed the official control tire supplier for the 2026–2027 season of the ‘Australian Production Car Endurance Series’ (APCES), one of Australia’s premier endurance racing series.

‘APCES’ is a newly launched endurance racing championship established through a collaboration between the ARDC and Motorsport Australia, carrying on the legacy of production car racing in Australia. The series features production-based vehicles competing across eight classes—X, A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D, and E—categorized according to vehicle performance.

The series will begin with its opening round at Sydney Motorsport Park from May 30 to 31, followed by races at major Australian motorsports circuits, including Sandown International Raceway in August and Queensland Raceway in September.

The final round of the championship will take place in March 2027 at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, as part of the iconic endurance race ‘Bathurst 6 Hour,’ where the overall series champion will be determined.

Hankook will exclusively supply its ‘Ventus TD (Z221) R-Spec’ tires to all participating teams in collaboration with the official trackside supplier, Gary’s Motorsport Tyres. Through the control tire format—where all competing vehicles are equipped with tires of identical specifications and performance—the company aims to provide drivers with consistent racing conditions throughout the championship.

The ‘Ventus TD (Z221) R-Spec’ supplied for the series is a semi-slick tire developed for high-performance circuit racing. Featuring an optimized tread pattern and advanced compound technologies, the tire delivers outstanding dry grip, stable cornering performance, excellent braking capability, and superior heat resistance. It is also designed to provide consistent performance through reliable grip and handling, even under prolonged high-speed driving conditions.

Meanwhile, Hankook has established a strong presence in the local endurance racing market as the official tire supplier of Australia’s iconic endurance race, the ‘Bathurst 6 Hour.’ The company continues to demonstrate its high-performance tire technology and brand competitiveness through sponsorship of various local motorsports competitions, including the ‘First Focus Radical Cup Australia Series,’ the ‘Precision National Sports Sedan Series,’ and the ‘Hyper Racer Hankook Australian Drivers’ Championship.’

Moving forward, Hankook plans to further strengthen its position as a global top-tier premium brand by actively leveraging racing data secured under extreme motorsports conditions to develop ultra-high-performance tire technologies, in conjunction with its global innovation R&D infrastructure.