The car was running alongside the 24H Misano endurance race

Hyundai Motorsport has successfully validated several aspects of the design of the i30 N TCR during an extended test at the 24H Misano event, despite the team opting to bring their running to a close in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hyundai Motorsport, running in conjunction with development partner team BRC, took advantage of the track time on offer from the weekend, as the i30 N TCR performed faultlessly throughout the on track sessions. Beginning with the first practice on Friday the car ran alongside those competing in the endurance race, setting competitive lap times compared to the TCR specification machinery running the event.

The team was well prepared to make the most of an important chance to test in race conditions, running together with other cars on track, as they were kindly invited to by race organisers Creventic and series sponsors Hankook. Lead test driver Gabriele Tarquini shared the driving duties with TCR Germany race winner Antti Buri, who was brought into the team especially for the weekend. With his experience in other TCR cars the Finn provided crucial insight into the strengths of the i30 N TCR at this stage of the testing phase.

The main focus of the weekend was on completing longer runs to assess the brake and tyre wear under different conditions, and with a variety of set-up configurations. These were changed, as planned, with the car stopped in the garage as the team effectively split the race into sections, each dedicated to testing a different set-up. Both drivers completed stints on track with each combination of settings, with their feedback furthering the development of the i30 N TCR.

Under the competitive conditions the team was able to validate the endurance refueling system. The rare chance to test during the night also allowed the drivers to evaluate a number of extra lighting configurations that could be offered to customers in the future.

With the work planned for the weekend complete and the two-litre, turbocharged engine far in excess of its expected lifespan, the team decided to end its test early on Sunday morning, taking the time remaining in the weekend to work on the car to prepare it for its next outing later this week. The i30 N TCR will next be seen in public at the Nürburgring round of the ADAC TCR Germany series (August 4-6), where the car will be on display in the paddock throughout the weekend.

There the car is sure to gain further attention from potential customers. The first completed chassis is scheduled to be delivered in early December.

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing manager Andrea Adamo said: “This was a great opportunity for us to test the i30 N TCR in a variety of conditions, and we are very thankful for the invitation for the weekend. As we planned we were able to work through a number of different set-up configurations to assess the impact on tyre and brake wear, as well as prove the design for the quick refueling system and the additional lights necessary for endurance racing. The same engine has been in the car since the first test, so it has done more kilometres than was ever expected of it, and with our key targets for the weekend already achieved we opted to preserve it, so that we can be fully prepared our next running later this week.”