The Hyundai i30 N TCR will make a first public appearance next month, as the Hyundai Motorsport team, together with development partners BRC, will continue the testing of the TCR project running at the Touring Car Endurance Series’ 24H Misano in Italy on July 7-9.
Having successfully completed initial tests in Spain and Italy, the TCR car will run in conditions that are not easily replicated in normal testing.
The team will look to complete long runs to assess the tyre and brake wear, as well as the endurance fuel filling system. Running at night will also give the chance to test different lighting options, as well as testing how the car’s systems react to the cooler night time temperatures, and the constantly changing track conditions.
Not yet homologated, the car will not be part of the TCR class at the event, but of the GT4 class. The key target will be to see how the car behaves in the different conditions and to achieve this the team will not run continuously throughout the race, but instead split the event into segments allowing time to alter the chassis set-up to gain further information from the weekend.
The engine has already undergone extensive endurance testing, completing a pair of trouble-free 40+ hour dyno sessions at Hyundai’s global R&D Centre in Namyang, Korea.
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing manager Andrea Adamo said: “Entering the i30 N TCR at the 24H Misano is a unique opportunity for us during the development phase of the project. Obviously the running we have already completed, and that which we plan for the coming months, is very important, however, this event will give us the chance to test in conditions that are impossible to replicate away from a competitive event.”
