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HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT CUSTOMER RACING HONE I20 N RALLY2 SET-UP WITH ITALIAN TEST

  • Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing completed three days of testing in northern Italy with the i20 N Rally2 last week, focused on developing base set-ups for the new car 
  • Working through set-up changes, including suspension and differential settings, the teams’ engineers were able to assess how the handling responded
  • Teemu Suninen and Customer Racing Junior Driver Josh McErlean provided feedback during the test, helping the Customer Racing department continue in their development work.

Alzenau, Germany

November 2, 2021 – Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing completed three days of testing in northern Italy with the i20 N Rally2 last week. The running gave the department’s engineers an opportunity to further develop a range of set-ups that can be shared with customers in the early months of the car’s competitive life.

Over the three days the team were able to take the i20 N Rally2 to three different roads, each with different characteristics. The stage used on the opening day featured a series of hillside switchback turns, while the remainder of the roads offered more flowing stages, though all were on narrow roads, where gravel brought onto the route was a constant factor. In total the team covered more than 500km, adding to the 3,000km of running that was completed during testing before the car’s first rally – August’s Rally Ypres.

On debut the car claimed three WRC2 stage wins, as well as maximum points in the category. There have also been strong early results in national competition, with customers scoring podium finishes in both the Italian and Portuguese championships. Production of new i20 N Rally2 at the team’s headquarters in Alzenau, Germany continues and is reflected in the increasing number of the cars in rallies around Europe as ordered chassis are delivered.

The recent test was central to the Customer Racing department’s work in supporting teams and drivers with the i20 N Rally2. The days focused on trialing a variety of set-up changes – including suspension and differential settings – to assess how the chassis responded. The information gathered will be shared with customers in order to produce a strong set-up for the different road conditions they encounter in their respective championships. By working together closely with i20 N Rally2 teams in this way the department can help ensure that each crew can get the maximum performance and reliability from the car from their very first events.

As was the case throughout the car’s initial development driving duties during the test were shared by a number of different drivers. These included Teemu Suninen, who scored a superb WRC2 podium on debut with the i20 N Rally2 at Rally de España, and Customer Racing Junior Driver Josh McErlean. Their combined feedback allows the Customer Racing department’s engineers to create a well-balanced set-up, resulting in a very strong all-round package, regardless of an individual drivers’ style or experience level.

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Andrew Johns said: “We are still early in the i20 N Rally2 project, and we can see from the results in WRC2, as well as in national events, that there is great pace in an excellent all-round package. However, we are still at an early point in the car’s competitive career, and we can still improve the car further with each test and rally. The data we have gained from the three days in Italy will be shared with our customers and allow them to unlock the further potential we know is in the design. Supporting teams and drivers with the i20 N Rally2 – and any of our Customer Racing rally or race cars – is a vital part of the department’s work, and working together with them in sharing information is central to this, just as we offer on-site engineering support and a fast spare parts supply. The testing in Italy remained true to our initial development aim – to produce a car that could be instantly competitive with the huge range of possible customers in the Rally2 class. With feedback from different drivers, each with their own style and set-up preferences, we can make sure that the i20 N Rally2 is a superb package for everyone, regardless of where they compete.”

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