The Hyundai Motorsports World Rally Championship team launched their 2022 Rally1 car on Monday morning.
Speaking about the new car Hyundai Motorsport Deputy Team Director Julien Moncet said:
We are fortunate to have one of the most versatile crew line-ups in WRC to tackle one of the most eclectic calendars we have seen in recent years. We hope that the unique combination of Thierry, Ott, Oliver and Dani will bring us the right mix of experience, youth, and passion to deliver the results we’ve worked so hard to achieve. It is a case of third time lucky for the new events in New Zealand and Japan, to which we have been looking forward for some time. There’s a lot of intrigue and unknown for the 2022 season, which will keep WRC front of mind for motorsport fans around the world.”
Thierry Neuville commented saying:
“I always love to start new adventures and challenges, so that’s the most exciting part about these new hybrid regulations. Our target remains unchanged from previous seasons. As a team we want to fight for the manufacturers’ championship again, but the drivers’ title is always one of my personal targets, which we are chasing. In this new era, everybody is going to want to show their performance, as well as their reliability which is going to be crucial this year. We have made good steps with our new Hyundai i20 N Rally1. With every test, we have been able to feel more comfortable in the car, but the beginning of the season is a learning period for all crews and teams. I can really see an exciting season but probably with a lot of ups-and-downs for everybody.”
Ott Tanak said:
The target for this season is easy: to win. There is a big challenge ahead but it’s exciting and I’m certainly looking forward to the fresh start. Everybody in the team has been working hard; with the regulations changing there hasn’t been much time to relax. For sure, it’s been a big effort. The key for this season is reliability. We need to get the cars through the rallies, to give them maximum mileage and to get as much experience as possible. It will also be important to get the best performance out of the new hybrid engines and to use the correct mapping strategy. There will be a lot for us to learn but we want to win another championship and we will fight hard for that this year. I am fired up.”
Oliver Solberg said:
“It is a dream come true for me to be joining a factory team for the first time. I am very excited; it’s just fantastically cool to be starting this new season. The fact that the cars are completely new for everybody helps me a little bit. I feel quite prepared and confident but it’s just a great opportunity to be in this new era from the start. These cars are awesome. They sound better than ever and are very fast. I certainly feel good in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1, and it’s quite enjoyable with that extra bit of power. The main thing for me is to have a consistent year. It’s a learning curve. I am still very young, so it is good for me to work with the other drivers who have a wealth of experience. I feel ready to step up.”
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