Hyundai Motorsport Reaffirms Commitment to WRC's Hybrid
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Hyundai Motorsport reaffirms commitment to WRC’s hybrid era Hyundai Motorsport has pledged its support of new hybrid regulations in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), which come into effect from the 2022 season Development of the car will be centred on the Hyundai i20 N, reenforcing the important link between motorsport and Hyundai’s production car technology The new WRC era will offer the two-time manufacturers’ champions an exciting new technical challenge after eight seasons competing at the pinnacle of international rallying. Alzenau, Germany March 31, 2021 – Hyundai Motorsport has reaffirmed its commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with the company developing a brand-new challenger for WRC’s hybrid era based on the Hyundai i20 N road car. The two-time manufacturers’ championship-winning team - currently in its eighth season in WRC - supports the new direction outlined by the FIA and the WRC Promoter which strengthens Hyundai’s use of motorsport as a showcase of its high-performance and sustainability credentials. Hyundai Motorsport will also compete in the inaugural Pure ETCR championship later this year with the Veloster N ETCR - the first-ever electric race car developed by the company - as it actively promotes the transfer of relevant technology between motorsport and production vehicles. The introduction of hybrid into WRC strengthens this commitment yet further. Having taken consecutive WRC titles in 2019 and 2020, the new regulations will offer Hyundai Motorsport an exciting new technical challenge, while reflecting Hyundai Motor Company’s values of pioneering spirit, innovation and leadership in future mobility. Since the establishment of Hyundai Motorsport at the end of 2012, rallying and circuit racing has since become a key performance pillar for Hyundai. Knowledge shared between the Alzenau-based company and the Hyundai N brand has already delivered success in WRC and the WTCR - World Touring Car Cup. The competitive high-tech environment, in which split seconds are critical, allows Hyundai to evaluate new technologies which can then inform development of production cars. Team Principal Andrea Adamo said: “Hyundai Motorsport exists to support the global objectives set by Hyundai Motor Company, by offering a credible platform to showcase current and future automotive technology. Through racing and rallying, we are able to influence and give direction to development of tomorrow’s Hyundai road cars; this is a real honour and a role we take incredibly seriously. We are therefore pleased to support to the future direction outlined by the FIA and the WRC Promoter with the new hybrid regulations from 2022. We will develop our car around the Hyundai i20 N, which itself was inspired by our WRC success to date. As two-time champions, we welcome the new challenge and look forward to flying the Hyundai flag into this new era.” Vice President and Head of N Brand Management and Motorsport Sub-Division at Hyundai Motor Company, Till Wartenberg said: “Motorsport remains a hugely valuable testbed for Hyundai’s future mobility models and technology. It is imperative for us to embrace more sustainable solutions, so we are delighted to see WRC move in this direction with new hybrid regulations that will create a more relevant link to our road vehicle technology. We relish the challenge and know that the skilled, experienced team at Hyundai Motorsport will do all they can to maintain the title and rally-winning status that they have built up in recent years. The positive impact that motorsport activities have on our high-performance N brand and mother brand Hyundai should not be undervalued; it’s the ideal platform on which we can develop future technology while showcasing the sheer passion and fun of driving Hyundai cars. Whether it’s with our Veloster N ETCR or the hybrid WRC challenger based on the Hyundai i20 N, we are committed to showing how cutting-edge technology can be combined with more sustainable solutions in motorsport.” About Hyundai Motorsport GmbH Established on 19 December 2012, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH is responsible for Hyundai’s global motorsport activities, including the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Customer Racing and electric racing projects. In WRC, Hyundai Motorsport quickly established a strong reputation taking victory in its debut season in 2014. The team finished as runners-up in the manufacturers’ championship on three consecutive occasions between 2016 and 2018 before claiming its first title in 2019 and repeating the feat in 2020. Since the establishment of its Customer Racing activities in September 2015, Hyundai Motorsport has become a trusted partner for teams and drivers looking for success on the rally stages or on racetracks around the world. From its competitive i20 R5 rally car to the competitive i30 N TCR, Hyundai Motorsport-built cars have claimed victory in several championships, including national rally series in France and Spain, as well as consecutive titles in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2018 and 2019. Designed and built at its Alzenau headquarters, the Veloster N ETCR was unveiled in September 2019 and heralds an exciting new era, in which electric racing is set to become one of the company’s pillars. Unified under Hyundai Motorsport, WRC, Customer Racing and electric racing are together playing instrumental roles in driving Hyundai’s global high-performance N brand and are supporting an important perception shift for the Hyundai brand around the world. Further information about Hyundai Motorsport is available at: http://motorsport.hyundai.com About Hyundai Motor Company Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry- leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies. More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com/ To download high-resolution photos for editorial use, full drivers’ profiles, as well as other useful press information about the team please refer to: http://press.motorsport.hyundai.com/home Username: HMSGMedia Password: Alzenau For individual information please contact: Thomas Villette Nicoletta Russo Phone: +49-151 1135 4339 Phone: +49-151 1135 4362 [email protected] [email protected] Page 2 .