Victory with the Hankook iON Race in the USA: Cassidy wins Portland E-Prix

- Hankook iON Race supports all drivers and provides the grip required to allow them to go to the limit and perform well all the way to the finish
- With the Hankook iON Race, a new speed record was set during the first free practice session in Portland
- Hankook continues to provide the best possible grip as official technical partner and tire provider for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Seoul, Korea, June 26, 2023 – The first winner of the Portland E-Prix is Nick Cassidy. On Saturday, the New Zealander from the Envision Racing team won the twelfth race in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, cheered on by full stands in the northwestern USA. This is the third win for the 28-year-old in Season 9 and his fourth overall in the fully-electric series. During the race, Cassidy benefited from the reliable performance of the Hankook iON Race, which developed a high level of grip despite the heat and various surfaces, some of which proved to be very slippery. Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Director Motorsport: “The Portland International Raceway is one of the few permanent circuits on the Formula E calendar. The track has differing types of surfaces in some areas. Just before turn 1 at the end of the start-finish straight, where drivers hit their absolute top speed, there are some concrete slabs similar to the ones in use at the former Tempelhof airfield in Berlin. However, the asphalt on the sweeping right-hander after turn 9 has suffered some erosion and is very slippery. The drivers and teams are now well aware of how to handle our tires and are able to keep the Hankook iON Race in the perfect working window. As usual, our premium product supports all drivers and provides the grip required to allow them to go to the limit and perform well all the way to the finish.”

British driver Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti Formula E) finished second in a thrilling race that saw the lead change hands many times, with plenty of action in the chasing pack. António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) from Portugal finished third to round off the podium at the first Formula E race in Portland.

Second place and three additional points for pole position saw Dennis move into the lead in the overall standings with 154 points. Today’s winner Cassidy is just one point behind him in second place. After finishing ninth, the previous leader Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) is now third in the drivers’ championship.

A new speed record in Formula E with the Hankook iON Race

No Formula E driver had ever gone so fast before. Mitch Evans from the Jaguar TCS Racing team posted a new speed record with the Hankook iON Race during the first free practice session in Portland. The New Zealander reached a top speed of 276.6 km/h with his Jaguar I-Type 6. That was twelve km/h faster than the previous best, set by Sergio Sette Camara in São Paulo.

US fashion designer Jaden Smith creates new style for the Formula E car

The multitalented American rapper, actor and fashion designer Jaden Smith has designed a foil application for a Formula E showcar especially for the Portland E-Prix. The concept for the design reflects his love of art and science. The son of actor Will Smith chose a matt black design with illustrations from mathematics, physics, and history. Jaden Smith attended the Formula E race in New York in Season 8 and completed a lap in the Gen2 car. He has remained a big fan of the series ever since and was there to enjoy the race live on Saturday.

Olympic winner and world champion Lindsey Vonn visits Portland E-Prix

Speed is her passion: Former alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn attended the twelfth Formula E race on Saturday and completed a lap of the Portland International Raceway. After a brief introduction from the official safety car driver Bruno Correia, the Olympic winner and two-time world champion moved to the driver’s seat and took the wheel of a Jaguar I-Pace.

New Formula E drivers at the Hankook Rome E-Prix

Something new is on the schedule for Formula E. An additional free practice session for rookies has been added at short notice for the double-header in Rome. This means that the drivers who have not yet competed in an E-Prix and are not on the official registration list for Season 9 will now have the chance to test a Gen3 car and the Hankook iON Race before the two races at the Hankook Rome E-Prix. The only rookie test thus far this season took place after the Berlin E-Prix.

Formula E presents the Season 10 race calendar

As official technical partner and tire provider for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Hankook continues to provide the best possible grip on track in Season 10. Ahead of the Portland E-Prix, the series was able to present nearly all of the locations and dates for the races in 2024. There will be events in 13 different countries. A new addition to the calendar is the race in Tokyo (Japan), which is set to take place on March 30. No locations have yet been announced for two dates in February and one at the end of May. The teams and drivers will again be in Valencia, Spain, for collective pre-season testing from 23rd to 27th October this year.

As well as on YouTube, you can also find regular news and information on Hankook’s involvement in Formula E on Twitter (@hankook_sport) and Instagram (@hankooktire.motorsports).

You can find the latest Hankook Press Kit for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship here.