In late last year, testing of the second-generation Hyundai i20 WRC racer commenced prior to a pinned racing debut during the 2015 World Rally Championship. The new i20 WRC is based around the three-door road-car but due to delays in getting the car onto the streets, the WRC variant has had its racing debut pushed back to 2016.
Due to the delay in having the three-door Hyundai i20 compete in the World Rally Championship, the marque will be able to spend longer developing it in an attempt to topple Volkswagen as the most dominant team in the sport. Of the three races in the 2015 season, Sebastian Ogier has taken victory in all of them with his Volkswagen team.
Discussing the car’s likely 2016 debut, Hyundai WRC team principal Michel Nandan said “We had hoped to introduce the new car later this season but unfortunately an issue with the homologation schedule—related to production of the three-door road version—will delay our program. We have therefore opted to continue focus on the five-door version of the new-generation i20 WRC which will compete at Rallye Monte-Carlo next year.”
