Hankook Takes On Formula E’s Ultimate High-Altitude Test at the 2026 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix

- Season 12 continues at the 2026 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix, one of Formula E’s most demanding and iconic high-altitude races
- Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez combines fast straights with a technical stadium section, placing a premium on thermal management, efficiency, and traction stability
- The iON Race is engineered to deliver consistent performance under Mexico City’s unique conditions

Seoul, Korea, January 6, 2026 — Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a global leading tire company of Hankook & Company Group (Chairman HyunBum Cho) heads to Mexico for Round 2 of Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The 2026 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix will take place at the iconic Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, one of the most recognizable and widely attended venues on the Formula E calendar. As both the championship’s exclusive tire partner and the event’s title sponsor, Hankook Tire & Technology (hereafter Hankook) arrives in Mexico City ready to showcase its advanced EV tire technology through the proven iON Race.

Renowned as one of Formula E’s most technically challenging venues, the Mexico City circuit sits at an altitude of more than 2,200 meters above sea level, creating a unique environment that affects powertrain efficiency, cooling systems, and tire behavior. The track layout is defined by long, high-speed straights combined with a highly technical infield section that runs through the iconic Foro Sol stadium, demanding precise control and stability from both cars and tires. Reduced air density places greater emphasis on energy management and thermal stability, making tire performance a critical factor throughout the race.

The circuit’s layout features long, high-speed straights and heavy braking zones before diving into the Foro Sol stadium section, where rapid transitions from sustained high-speed sections to tight, technical corners place heavy demands on both car setup and tire management. Under these conditions, Hankook’s iON Race provides teams with a stable and predictable operating window, delivering consistent grip, controlled temperature build-up, and reliable traction as drivers manage energy and balance through the race.

“Mexico City is always a special challenge for drivers and teams,” said Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director of Hankook Motorsport. “The altitude adds an extra layer of complexity, and that makes tire consistency and thermal control even more important. With its fast sections, technical stadium layout, and passionate fans, this is one of the most distinctive races of the season. As title sponsor of the 2026 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix, we are proud to support the championship at such an iconic venue and to see the iON Race perform under these unique conditions.”

Insights gained from Formula E continue to inform Hankook’s broader EV tire research and development efforts. Data and experience gathered from high-altitude, high-load racing environments such as Mexico City help broaden understanding of temperature control and durability characteristics relevant to the iON electric-vehicle tire portfolio.

As Formula E returns to one of its most celebrated destinations, the 2026 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix promises another intense chapter in Season 12 — with the iON Race once again at the center of the action.