After present process improvement throughout the low season, Hyundai has made nice strides with its i20N this season however continues to be behind championship’s pacesetting Toyota GR Yaris on each reliability and efficiency.
With one spherical of the season remaining, Hyundai has scored 14 podiums, the identical because it had amassed at this level final season, albeit with one much less victory, and has been unable to halt Toyota from sealing a 3rd consecutive constructors’ title.
After signing the skilled Francois-Xavier Demaison as technical director, Hyundai is pushing ahead on its improvement technique with its i20N. The following step of that course of is to utilise the October joker improvement window, however the fruits of that gained’t be felt till subsequent yr.
Reliability stays a priority for the group, and was greatest illustrated by the propshaft failures it suffered at Safari Rally Kenya in June. Guaranteeing the i20N improves within the reliability division is the primary focus for this improvement joker, forward of a push to upscale the automotive’s efficiency.
Crew principal Cyril Abiteboul has confirmed to Autosport/Motorsport.com that the group gained’t rush to debut any reliability upgrades on the last occasion in Japan later this month.
“Now we have finished what we have to do. We nonetheless have the homologation to move which is a bit later so we all know very properly what we need to do and now we have a good suggestion of what we need to do in 2024,” Abiteboul mentioned.
Photograph by: Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Crew Hyundai i20 N Rally1
“The 2024 jokers are properly prematurely by way of improvement, so FX has obtained his fingers on the technical technique.
“We’re pushing as exhausting as potential as a result of we wished to offer him as a lot time as potential to make his judgement of the priorities after which to design the elements after which to check them. It’s coming for subsequent yr.
“As I’ve mentioned, sadly we’re ready the place now we have some reliability weaknesses within the automotive as now we have proven publicly this yr like in Kenya and somewhere else, so that is the precedence.
“We hope to repair the reliability so now we have none of those points subsequent yr when now we have two very robust drivers preventing for wins and hopefully the championship. Then we will transfer on and begin creating the efficiency of the automotive.”
Hyundai will likely be among the many favourites to problem for the 2024 WRC title after recruiting Ott Tanak to hitch Thierry Neuville for subsequent season.