Development work set to increase performance of successful car

Hyundai i20 N Rally2 customers enter the critical part of the 2024 season leading in several competitive series after strong performances through the year.

A hugely dominant victory on the tarmac stages of Rali Ceredigion added to Hayden Paddon’s lead at the top of the FIA European Rally Championship standings as he aims to defend the title he won – also with the i20 N Rally2 – last year. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard now hold a 27-point lead with just a single round remaining. The maximum points’ score from the excellent weekend continued a strong season when the pace and reliability of the i20 N Rally2 have been vital – allowing them to score points in every round this season, even as many of his rivals have faltered.

When the French Tarmac Rally Championship returns from its summer hiatus this week at Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine, i20 N Rally2 driver Eric Camilli will resume at the top of the standings after scoring his second win of the campaign at the previous round. Hyundai Motorsport customers also lead the national championships in Slovenia and Switzerland after excellent results by crews on tarmac events. There have also been superb wins in Belgium for Cédric Cherain on the season opening Rally Haspengouw and by Stéphane Lefebvre on his debut with the i20 N Rally at the Ypres Rally.

The car’s capabilities on gravel have been repeatedly proven by, among others, Team Hyundai Portugal driver Kris Meeke and Rally2 rookie Benjamin Korhola, who recorded his fourth podium in six events in the Finnish Rally Championship in late August.

However, while the strengths of the car are undoubted Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Racing department is continuing to push forward with development work to further improve the car. The latest testing, with a brand-new chassis built specifically for the purpose, began in late July. Paddon and Camilli both drove the car for a day to offer their expertise and feedback. WRC driver Dani Sordo completed the testing plan, before using the car to dominate Rallye Cristian Lopez Herrero, where he won all nine stages.

Testing over the coming months will validate updates to the car’s engine, new differential options and suspension parts, as well as small cosmetic changes. The developments will make use of the Jokers available to the team under the current Rally2 regulations and be fully homologated for the start of the 2025 season.

Earlier this year new pistons and variable valve timing were homologated for the engine, providing a significant horsepower boost and extra acceleration compared to previous evolutions. The improvements now being tested will build upon these positive steps to add further to the all-round performance of the engine.

Testing will also focus on optimising the i20 N Rally2’s drivetrain to enable customers to tailor the car to their needs, especially when tackling rallies dominated by technical stages where excellent acceleration is vital. Testing will also include work to confirm new suspension parts and differential settings for different conditions. In all areas the focus will be on improving the performance of the package, especially on tarmac, where the car is already known to perform well, as shown on the Welsh roads of last weekend.

The renewed focus on the development included building a brand-new test car at Hyundai Motorsport’s Alzenau base. The new chassis, fitted with all the latest parts available to customers, will provide the test engineers with a better base from which they can validate performance gains of new parts. These new parts will then be homologated and made available to both current and new i20 N Rally2 customers.

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoit Nogier said:

“The Rally2 category remains perhaps the most competitive in world rallying. Though i20 N Rally2 customers are major forces in championships around the world and currently lead the points in several series, we cannot ignore that we must develop the car further to remain competitive. All the manufacturers in the category are constantly testing and improving their offering to customers and the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing department must do the same. The planned testing, and the new parts that will be homologated as a result, will be step forward in performance in many key areas. As a result, our rallying customers will be able to continue to push for rally victories and championship wins wherever they compete into 2025 and beyond.”

Hyundai Motorsport Rally Project manager Andrea Cisotti said:

“Crews with the i20 N Rally2 have taken significant victories on different surfaces this season, including this past weekend at Rali Ceredigion in the FIA European Rally Championship. However, we have listened to feedback from our customers and recognise that we have significant work to do in many areas of the car’s performance and handling. The testing plan we have for the rest of 2024, with multiple drivers and on a variety of roads, is directly targeted at delivering the improvements needed to keep the car competitive as the Rally2 category evolves. Over the next few months we have improvements to the engine, drivetrain and suspension to test and validate ready for homologation. With feedback from multiple drivers, many with valuable experience of driving our Rally2 competitors, we are confident we can deliver the improvements our customers need.”