Hyundai Motorsport Targets Top Spot At 2019 Fia WRC

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Hyundai Motorsport has announced its ambitions to achieve a long-standing dream at the FIA World Rally Championship: finishing first at the end of the season. The rally outfit has its sights set firmly on the drivers’ as well as constructors’ championships.

Hyundai Motorsport was deprived of the top spot three times in a row, despite stellar seasons at the World Rally Championship. The year 2018 was witness to an especially nail-biting finish to a year-long contest between a trio of teams. A thrilling conclusion only came at the season finale in Australia.

NEW RALLY CREW AT HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT

This time, Hyundai Motorsport is led by a new team director, Andrea Adamo. A revised crew lineup is in place, including nine-time WRC champions Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena as new drivers. FIA has extended the 2019 calendar to 14 races, and Hyundai intends to better its performance over last year when it scored three wins and 11 podium finishes.

“Our objectives for WRC remain the same as they have been for the past years, namely to fight for the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles,” said Adamo. “This is important for Hyundai and our N brand. The WRC is incredibly competitive and the other teams will want to approach the new season with the same winning mindset. We have to make sure we’re delivering and performing at our best at all times.”

WRC has kept its regulations stable, allowing Hyundai Motorsport to evolve the technical foundations of its rally-winning Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC. The team has rigorously assessed all aspects of the car to ensure it performs consistently across all terrains in the coming season, with a brand-new event in Chile added to the calendar.

STRATEGY FOR WRC 2019

Three Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC cars will compete in all the 14 rounds on the calendar in 2019. Last year’s champions Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul will be joined by Norwegians Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger-Amland in all races. Loeb and Elena have joined Hyundai Motorsport on a two-year contract, with a six-round program for 2019 commencing at Rallye Monte Carlo.

“I am pleased to be joining such a great line-up of crews for my first season with Hyundai Motorsport,” said Loeb. “It is clear to me that the car was a competitive package in 2018, which enabled the team to fight for the championship titles right to the very end. It promises to be a great season. I hope I can get up to speed with the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC quickly and be able to show competitive pace.”

Check out the latest prices and specification of Hyundai i20 Coupe in the UAE.