iON Race Delivers Controlled Performance Across Monaco's Iconic Double-Header

• Formula E completed Rounds 9 and 10 on the Circuit de Monaco, where Hankook's iON Race delivered consistent performance on one of the Championship's most precision-focused circuits
• The double-header weekend featured two distinct race formats, placing emphasis on tyre stability, repeatability, and strategy execution

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd. (hereafter Hankook), the exclusive tyre supplier to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, equipped all teams as the series staged the 2026 Monaco E-Prix on the Circuit de Monaco. Across the double-header weekend at one of motorsport's most iconic venues, two races with contrasting formats unfolded on a layout defined by tight margins, rapid elevation changes, and constant variation in grip.

Rounds 9 and 10 were held over two days on the 3.337 km Circuit de Monaco. The laps combined steep climbs, low-speed corners, and high-speed sections in quick succession, requiring precise control throughout. With overtaking opportunities extremely limited, track position was difficult to recover once lost, placing added weight on qualifying execution and clean race management.

The weekend introduced two different race conditions. Race 1 included PIT BOOST, which required a mandatory pit stop and added a timing element to race strategy. Race 2 ran without PIT BOOST, shifting the focus toward pace consistency and energy use over the distance. Teams were required to adapt between formats while managing tyre performance across evolving track conditions.

In Round 9, Nyck de Vries of Mahindra Racing secured victory with an aggressive early PIT BOOST strategy and strong defensive driving. In Round 10, Oliver Rowland of Nissan Formula E Team claimed the win through disciplined energy management, perfectly timed overtakes amid the ATTACK MODE shuffle, and composed race control.

Across both races, Hankook supplied its iON Race tyre, which delivered stable performance with predictable warm-up behavior and consistent thermal control. On a circuit where precision and consistency directly influence race outcome, Monaco's combination of shaded sections, direct sunlight, and varied corner profiles requires the tyre to operate within a broad working range over a single lap. The shift between race formats placed further emphasis on repeatability, as teams adjusted strategies between sessions while managing grip evolution across the weekend.

"The Monaco double-header provided a clear comparison between two race formats on the same circuit," said Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director of Hankook Motorsport. "Across both races, stable and predictable tyre behavior supported consistent performance despite the change in format. In Monaco, where small variations can directly affect track position, that consistency contributed to the close and strategically varied racing seen throughout the weekend."

With Rounds 9 and 10 completed in Monaco, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship now shifts to its Asian leg of the Season 12 calendar, beginning with the Sanya E-Prix in China on 20 June.

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