WRC2 / ERC 2016: HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT’S R5 PROGRAMME BUILDS MOMENTUM WITH THREE-DAY TEST IN FRANCE
WRC2 / ERC A FULL 2016
Hyundai Motorsport’s R5 programme builds momentum with three-day test in France.
Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Project team completed a three-day test at Fontjoncouse in Southern France last weekend
The New Generation i20 R5 has undergone a month of development at the Hyundai Motorsport factory in Alzenau after the initial test runs in January
Hyundai Motorsport’s first car made for customers is expected to be ready for competition before the end of the summer.
Alzenau, Germany
February 24, 2016 – Hyundai Motorsport completed three days of testing with its New Generation i20 R5 rally car at Fontjoncouse in Southern France earlier this week (February 20-22).
After initial reliability testing at the same venue in January Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Project team returned to the rough gravel course following a month of work during which the team has focused on developing the dampers and other suspension components for the car.
The team’s test and development driver Kevin Abbring was at the wheel for all three days of running last weekend, using his experience of R5 competition to help hone the car’s handling on the stages.
The rutted, undulating surface at Fontjoncouse offers an ideal proving ground for the team’s work, allowing them to refine the design and begin to work on the suspension on some of the harshest roads available for testing.
The New Generation i20 R5 is the first car from Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Project. Based on the same five-door production model as the World Rally Championship entry, which has already scored two podium finishes in the opening rounds of this year’s WRC, the R5 is fitted with a 1.6 direct injection turbo engine, 32mm restrictor and five-speed gearbox, in line with the FIA’s regulations for the successful category.
The Customer Project is led by Italian Andrea Adamo and consists of a team of 30 people with experience of developing and delivering customer motorsport programmes. The homologation process is expected to begin in the summer, with the first cars to be delivered to customers shortly after.
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Project Manager Andrea Adamo said: “To have another successful test of the New Generation i20 R5 is a big step towards our planned homologation date in late summer. Going through a test on the demanding surface of Fontjoncouse is a huge positive as we continue to develop the car. i20 R5 is Hyundai Motorsport’s first project built for customers and it is important that the product we deliver is equally capable on every surface as they enter into the regional and national championships around the world. Having Kevin, who had previously driven some of our competitor R5s, bring his experience to the programme ensures the car will be on the pace on rallies. The Customer project continues to build momentum with supplier deals signed and more experienced people joining the team as we look at the busy months ahead. Our testing schedule now increases its pace as we work to finalise the car for production in time to have it competing in the hands of our customers before the end of the year.”
The New Generation i20 R5 is on schedule to be homologated in the summer. It will be available to customers in line with the cost-capping regulations for the R5 category.
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About Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Established on 19 December 2012, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH is responsible for Hyundai’s global motorsport activities and primarily for its World Rally Championship programme. Based in Alzenau on the outskirts of Frankfurt in Germany, the company embarked on its debut season in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2014 with a bespoke team of skilled staff and a brand new car, the Hyundai i20 WRC. The team made a strong impression in its first year claiming podium results in Mexico and Poland, as well as a memorable 1-2 in Germany. In its second season, the team was involved in a closely fought battle for second place in the Manufacturers’ Championship, adding more podiums and stage wins to its tally. For its third season in WRC, Hyundai Motorsport is entering a brand new car, the New Generation i20 WRC, which will make its rally debut in Monte Carlo in January 2016.
Further information about Hyundai Motorsport is available at: http://motorsport.hyundai.com
About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company, which leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars, offers top-quality best-sellers such as Elantra, Sonata and Genesis. Hyundai Motor has eight manufacturing bases and seven design & technical centers worldwide and in 2015, sold 4.96 million vehicles globally. With more than 100,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle, ix35 Fuel Cell.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://www.hyundaiglobalnews.com
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