Hyundai drivers begin 2019 preparations in Portugal

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing’s preparations for the 2019 season got underway at the Algarve International Circuit in Southern Portugal, where the four drivers who will pilot the i30 N TCR cars in the WTCR completed a three-day test. Newcomers Nicky Catsburg and Augusto Farfus had their first laps in a TCR-specification machine, sharing driving duties with 2018 WTCR winner Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz. 
Preparations for the drivers, as well as for Hyundai Motorsport’s TCR customers in WTCR and elsewhere, will continue throughout the winter ahead of the start of the new season. Further testing for the WTCR-bound quartet is scheduled for the early months of the New Year, as the teams who they will compete for are finalised.

Tarquini said: “It was good to be back in action. We were able to work through some important checks to back up the R&D work that has been done in the workshops by engineers, to make sure that translates into an improvement on track. The test was also a nice opportunity to work with Nicky and Augusto, and pass on some of the knowledge to help them get up to speed as quickly as possible.”
Michelisz said: “The testing meant that we could back-up the effort of the engineers in the workshop, and provide some more detailed feedback on the changes to the set-up. Portimão was the perfect place for this. With the large number of elevation changes it’s a track where you work the suspension more than many circuits.”
Catsburg said: “When I first drove the Hyundai i30 N TCR I could immediately tell it was a different type of car from what I have raced before. However, the handling characteristics were still very familiar from the front-wheel-drive cars I have competed in before. You have to push it in a similar way to get the performance from it. It’s clear that Gabriele did a great job with developing the car, and that Hyundai Motorsport and their customers have created a very strong package.”
Farfus said: “It was 2006 the last time I was racing at front-wheel-drive car, but from my first laps in the Hyundai i30 N TCR I felt comfortable, and able to push the car. Before my runs on track both Gabriele and Norbi were able to give an idea of what to expect from the balance of the chassis, and their experience was really valuable. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was able to get up to speed.”