Thierry Neuville is hopeful Hyundai will debut its extremely anticipated revised 2025 World Rally Championship automobile at Rally Sweden subsequent month.
Hyundai has spent a lot of final season growing a major improve to its i20 N Rally1 automobile for 2025, however confirmed late final yr that it could start the brand new season in Monte Carlo subsequent week with its 2024 automobile – minus the hybrid energy unit, as per the brand new technical laws.
The Korean marque had initially deliberate to successfully homologate what could be a virtually all-new automobile for 2025 earlier than this plan was deserted following uncertainty over the 2025 technical laws. The improve that has been salvaged from that unique mission is more likely to eventuate into being a major improve that has required using 4 homologation improvement jokers.
Particulars concerning the precise modifications to the automobile are but to be disclosed by the workforce.
Drivers began testing the upgraded automobile final season with the event course of persevering with by way of the winter, and it’s now hoped the revised i20 N Rally1 may break cowl at Rally Sweden (13-16 February).
“Hopefully in Sweden [you will see the new upgraded car],” Neuville advised Motorsport.com.
When probed additional on the upgrades, he added: “It’s good. We’re very restricted with what we are able to do however I really feel snug within the new automobile.”
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Workforce Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photograph by: McKlein / Motorsport Photographs
Hyundai’s workforce principal Cyril Abiteboul defined final yr that he wasn’t involved by the delay to the debut of its 2025 upgrades on condition that Monte Carlo is a specialist rally. It’s a view shared by defending world champion Neuville heading into subsequent week’s asphalt basic.
“It isn’t a fear [to run the 2024 car in Monte]. It’s a particular occasion and anyhow, the [new Hankook] tyre would be the greatest battle in Monte Carlo,” he stated.
“There are many new variables with the modifications on the automobile, with out the hybrid unit and fewer weight.
“There are many issues coming collectively and I’ve no clue how tough it will likely be. It is going to rely a bit on how snug we really feel within the automobile after a couple of phases, and that may be the deciding issue.”
Along with modifications to the technical laws for 2025, Hyundai has undergone a administration reshuffle over the winter triggered by the departure of its WRC programme supervisor Christian Loriaux, which got here as a shock to Neuville.
The famend engineer performed a essential position since first becoming a member of the operation in 2021 as a technical advisor. Loriaux has since joined Overdrive Racing to work on the workforce’s Toyota rally-raid programme.
“It has come as a shock and clearly, we’re very disillusioned that he left the workforce however by some means one among his targets had been achieved with [us winning] the drivers’ title and clearly, he has the chance to have a brand new problem and I want him all one of the best,” Neuville added.
On this article
Tom Howard
WRC
Thierry Neuville
Hyundai Motorsport
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