HANKOOK SIERRA SIERRA EVO

One of the leading international teams headed for the World Time Attack Challenge has issued a warning to its global rivals.

The Hankook Sierra Sierra Enterprises squad says it has put its Evo 8 through a major development program in search of extra single-lap pace. “The car has undergone a very complex engine R&D program with Cosworth Racing in recent months, with weekly updates that have raised output by more than 75 kilowatts,” said team manager Richard Raeder. “At the same time we’ve put the car on a detailed weight-loss program to improve the power-to-weight ratio and spent a lot of time developing the suspension, braking, aero and overall handling.”

The development program resulted in the Sierra Sierra Evo breaking the long-standing lap record at Buttonwillow raceway in California last month - former open-wheel and sports car racing champion David Empringham setting a time of 1min 43.346. That bettered the previous time of 1min 43.523 set by the world famous HKS CT230R in 2007. Raeder says the Hankook Sierra Sierra team’s ambition to build the fastest time attack car in the world will clearly be put to the test in Sydney. “For a professional race team like us, with a background of Toyota Atlantic racing, it’s not enough to just compete in the States – so we’re coming to Australia to race the best from Japan.”

The Hankook Sierra Sierra Evo will run at Eastern Creek on Hankook’s new Ventus TD Z221 tyres, which Raeder believes may have the edge over the competition. “The Challenge is an exciting concept,” says Raeder. “I like that the cars will be competing on road-legal tyres rather than pure racing slicks – it adds grass-roots feel to the event.” “Some initial testing with the EVO at Buttonwillow Raceway between the Hankook and the benchmark road legal time attack tyre from another brand has shown that the Ventus TD is quicker. We will arrive at Eastern Creek with absolute confidence in our Hankook tyres.”

The Hankook Sierra Sierra Evo went on a ship from California last weekend and is expected to sail into Sydney the week before WTAC in May 21/22.