'Still hate it' - Several Formula E drivers offer clear reaction as rain threatens again

Several Formula E drivers have insisted that they still do not like Hankook's current tyre compound, following a wet second day of the Monaco E-Prix. 

After glorious sunshine soaked the Circuit de Monaco for the opening race day over a week ago, the second was met by downpours and dark skies. 

It marked the first fully wet qualifying of the Gen3 Evo era and the wettest conditions driven in since Gen3 was introduced – London in 2023 was dry and wet due to the indoor/outdoor layout.

Earlier this season in Mexico City, a damp free practice offered drivers a first experience of using the current cars and Hankook's new iON tyre in the wet, although a select few, including Mitch Evans, experienced wet weather during private testing.

Evans is one of multiple drivers who have openly criticised the performance of Hankook's current tyre in the wet, with the frustration having continued in Monaco. 

The Jaguar driver revealed one of the key problems with the compound in the wet, which saw him finish in 17th and lap multiple seconds slower than those ahead.

"As expected, like really, really tricky," said Evans, in discussion with RacingNews365. "In qualifying it was like, I was terrible. Nothing, you can't wake them [the tyres] up.

"In the race I was way more comfortable from the start, but the pace difference between me and some other guys was huge. So yeah, you can quickly be two, three seconds a lap slower. You just don't really do much different.

"So yeah, I don't know what change can be made for next year for the wet. You kind of need to drive it to feel it, it's pretty bad. But let's see what Hankook do."

'Surviving' the wet

The conditions in qualifying were particularly treacherous, whilst the circuit dried during the race. Concerningly, rain is currently forecast for the opening race day of this weekend's Tokyo E-Prix double-header.

Evans' team-mate Nick Cassidy was another driver to criticise Hankook's tyre, despite finishing on the podium. When asked by RacingNews365 if he no longer disliked the rubber, Cassidy replied: "No, still do. Still hate it, yep."

As mentioned, the conditions improved during the race, whilst they worsened during qualifying. A sudden increase in rain saw a remarkable spectacle in both semi-finals, as all four drivers went off the circuit. 

Oliver Rowland and Nyck de Vries both took to the Sainte Devote escape road, before both DS Penske drivers skipped the Nouvelle chicane. 

Grip was at an absolute minimum and saw lap times initially in the mid 1m 50s, almost 30 seconds slower than in the dry. It made for a staggering challenge, one de Vries described as "surviving rather than racing".

"If it's wet, you're not even reaching full throttle. So, it's more like surviving rather than racing in the wet," explained de Vries to RacingNews365.

"Obviously, street tracks are always challenging in the wet, and grip levels are low. But, yeah, I think, you saw that in the duels, in the last semi finals, none of us stayed on track.

"All four cars went off, which obviously shows that conditions were tricky and the grip was low."