Hankook may consider developing specific WRC Acropolis rally tyre in future

Hankook may consider developing specific WRC Acropolis rally tyre in future after another puncture-heavy WRC Acropolis Rally Greece. Hankook said it is evaluating the possibility of a bespoke tyre designed for the event’s extreme conditions, following gravel that caused multiple punctures and influenced the outcome. For this rally, Hankook brought a revised hard-compound tyre after criticism over durability at Rally Portugal. Ahead of Acropolis, it validated an update by increasing tread thickness to improve durability, and teams confirmed progress in limiting delaminations, though punctures remained a major topic. Sebastien Ogier, the nine-time world champion who led a push to shorten stage 12 by 4.5km due to harsh conditions, said the improvement was clear but argued the real solution is a special tyre for Acropolis, citing that the Portugal tyre would not have finished a stage there. Hankook’s WRC representative said the idea is “worth looking at,” but would require substantial work and broader stakeholder support.