Hyundai Motorsport has started testing its 2022 World Rally Championship car, complete with the hybrid powertrain that will be used under the new technical regulations.
Hyundai’s 2022 WRC racer is based on the i20 N road car and during this initial outing, the team set out to understand its behavior, plus its strengths and weaknesses. Current plans call for the car to be tested in a number of different locations across Europe to assess its performance in all conditions and terrains.
“It’s a special moment when you take a car to the road for the first time and as always there are some challenges to face,” Hyundai Motorsport team principal Andrew Adamo said in a statement. “In the case of the 2022 Rally1 challenger, we are starting from scratch with brand-new rules, a different concept and a new base model, the Hyundai i20 N. It was thrilling to kick-off the testing and to start this exciting new adventure.”
Read More: Hyundai, Toyota And Ford Commit To WRC’s Hybrid Future
“During last week’s session we have seen interesting things, some that need to be changed and improved but it is all part of the process and of the job. The team at Hyundai Motorsport has done an amazing job and has worked so hard to prepare the car for the first test in such a short amount of time. Of course, we are just at the beginning of a long journey but I do think we have interesting times ahead of us before Rallye Monte-Carlo 2022”, Adamo added.
From next year, WRC cars will feature a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine coupled to an electric motor with 134 hp and 132 lb-ft (180 Nm) of torque. Feeding the electric motor with its power will be a 3.9 kWh battery pack located within a sealed carbon fiber housing. Toyota and M-Sport Ford have also committed to the 2022 WRC season.
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