Hyundai unveils new car for cup campaign
Hyundai has a new car for its assault on the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, which swings into action in June.
The Elantra N TCR will make its debut in a campaign led by two experienced teams each fielding a pair of Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing drivers.
The switch to the new car comes after three seasons in the series with the Hyundai i30 N TCR, during which time Hyundai customers have collected back-to-back drivers’ crowns and the inaugural teams’ title in 2018.
The new car is based on the road-going Hyundai Elantra N and features a new two-litre, turbocharged engine.
Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz continue with the BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Squadra Corse team, with which they took their titles in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The Engstler Hyundai N Liqui Moly Racing Team is also joining the grid with Luca Engstler and Jean-Karl Vernay behind the wheel.
All four of the drivers have been involved in the on-track development of the Hyundai Elantra N TCR, which started in mid-2020. Further testing of the vehicle is planned before the opening weekend of the season at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Michelisz says: “Working with the Customer Racing department engineers it is clear how much effort, and how much of the knowledge from the last three years has gone into the design of the car.”
Meanwhile, Vernay notes being heavily involved in the development process has been helpful in getting “additional understanding of the Hyundai Elantra N TCR before the first races”.
Andrea Adamo, Hyundai Motorsport team principal, explains it has done all it can to allow its customers teams to be competitive in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup.
“We have included our four Customer Racing drivers and the teams at every stage of the development of the Hyundai Elantra N TCR, so they have each been able to gain a lot of experience with the car, which they can immediately use when they start racing,” he says.
2021 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup
June 3-5: WTCR Race of Germany – Nurburgring Nordschleife
June 26-27: WTCR Race of Portugal – Circuito Internacional de Vila Real
July 10-11: WTCR Race of Spain – Motorland Aragon
July 31-August 1: WTCR Race of Italy – Adria Raceway
August 21-22: WTCR Race of Hungary – Hungaroring Circuit
October 16-17: WTCR Race of South Korea – Inje Speedium
November 6-7: WTCR Race of China – Ningbo International Speedpark
November 19-21: WTCR Race of Macau – Circuito da Guia
