The challenges of deciding where and when to test

Terry Harrison, as Test Coordinator at Hyundai Motorsport, has a role which requires a dynamic skillset: organising the tests that are essential for car development and driver preparation before World Rally Championship (WRC) events.

From being interested in motorsports in his teenage years to competing as a co-driver by age 18, he has actively participated in road rallies and stage events across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, and France.

His career has been truly inspirational, with many diverse opportunities coming his way, leading him to join Hyundai Motorsport in August 2013. His continued passion and dedication have significantly contributed to the team’s growth.

How does testing in WRC work?

Currently, we have a limitation of 21 days of testing in any European country, excluding testing at permanent bases, which is unrestricted.

Within the framework of FIA regulations, we have two permanent testing bases. One in Germany, which is used for rollouts before events and tests and some development work. Another one in Finland, where a total of 12 kilometres of test road is used for car development and the pre-event tests without using our allocated 21 testing days from the FIA.

Selecting the right road is one of the difficult parts of managing the 21 days. Team engineers and myself look for test roads to then make a selection that is presented to our drivers for their final approval. With time constraints, we more often select from the videos supplied by the local test organisers.

Once we have made our final choice, we shift our focus to organising the logistics, hotels, flights, truck moments and so on. Prior to the team’s arrival, I personally ensure everything is in order for their arrival and oversee throughout the testing process.

What are some of the biggest challenges?

One of our biggest challenges is deciding where and when to test and dealing with the weather conditions.

It gets challenging when choosing the specific roads as we have to get information from the local organisers on what roads are available.

Then, we work with our local contacts to authorise road closures. Every country has different administrative procedures, systems, and language barriers, so  local support is essential for this and for the necessary marshals/security on the test days.

How big a challenge can the weather be?

I faced one of the biggest challenges during testing in the centre of France, which involved a two-day test with the R5 car followed by a three-day test with the WRC car.

The second day of testing for the R5 car was also the travel day for the WRC team. Unfortunately, there were horrendous storms, and Nice Airport was closed. I had to oversee the R5 test, reorganise flights, and hire cars for the WRC test.

Andreas Mikkelsen and his co-driver Anders Jaeger, for example, were already delayed in Oslo and the nearest we could get them to the south of France was Munich. They had to drive overnight to make it to the test the next morning.

How did you get into motorsport?

From an early age, I had a deep interest in motorsport, which eventually led me to become a co-driver in road rallies. When I turned 31, I decided to take a break from the sport to focus on logistics in the automotive industry.

After eight years, although I had a normal job managing logistics, I wanted to take any  opportunity I could to participate again in motorsport. So, when I was offered a part-time role to navigate a service van to go to every service area on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1999, I accepted and then led the M Sport weather crew team, which only operated on the tarmac events at the time.

On one event  I met the manager of Peugeot Sport’s customer racing department. Six months later, I went for an interview in Paris and joined the team. I started working on a mixed program of tests and events in 2003 until their WRC program ended. After that, I had the chance to work at Mitsubishi Motorsport  customer team and then I began freelancing mainly with Santeloc  Racing and  Kronos Racing. On top of that, I have also gained some non-motorsport work experience, including a role at the 2012 Olympics and as Logistics Manager with a French wine company.

As soon as I heard about Hyundai Motorsport’s founding, I got in touch. In August 2013, I joined Hyundai Motorsport and was offered a choice between working on events or the test program. For various reasons, I chose the test program.

Why did you choose the test team?

Mainly because I enjoy meeting local people, experiencing their culture, and exploring the countryside, it’s often more challenging compared to the highly structured environment organised by the FIA.

During the test program, you  have to arrange your own schedule, which can be more difficult sometimes, but that means we have a little more freedom and flexibility.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I’m responsible for the work of other people and I need to make sure that the technical team, the engineers and mechanics can focus on their work without any external concerns.

If everything aligns with the plan, it brings a significant degree of satisfaction, but if it doesn’t, during any unforeseen situation, your knowledge and experience will be instrumental.

Has your experience as a co-driver been valuable for your current role?

Definitely, it has helped because a large part of the job demands attention to detail. During their first test day with the team, Martin Jarveoja – Ott Tanak’s co-driver – remarked ‘I think you used to be a co-driver’ without knowing my history and this made me realise how much my co-driving experience has played a crucial role.

What are the skills and qualities you think someone should have to work in motorsport logistics?

First of all, to thrive in this role, you need to have a solid logistics and motorsport background, as well as excellent organisational skills, whilst being able to overcome problems while paying attention to minor details.

At times when things look challenging and don’t go as planned, it’s crucial to stay calm and cool on the outside, even though you might be feeling stressed internally. It’s important that your team members feel safe and composed, or else panic can occur if things get out of control. You have to be ready with solutions