Hyundai Motorsport’s successfully validated several aspects of the design of the i30 N TCR during an extended test at the 24H Misano event, despite the team opting to bring their running to a close in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Hyundai Motorsport, running in conjunction with development partner team BRC, took advantage of the track time, as the i30 N TCR performed faultlessly throughout the on track sessions. Beginning with the first practice on Friday the car set competitive lap times compared to the TCR specification cars running in the event.
The team was well prepared to make the most of testing in race conditions. Lead test driver Gabriele Tarquini shared driving duties with TCR Germany competitor Antti Buri. With his experience in other TCR cars, the Finn provided crucial insight into the strengths of the i30 N TCR at this stage of the testing phase.
The main focus was on completing longer runs to assess the brake and tyre wear under different conditions, and with a variety of set-up configurations. The team split the race into sections, each dedicated to testing a different set-up and both drivers completed stints with each combination of settings.
With the work planned for the weekend complete and the engine far in excess of its expected lifespan, the team decided to end their running early on Saturday morning, taking the time remaining in the weekend to work on the car to prepare its next outing later this week.
The i30 N TCR will next be seen in public at the Nürburgring round of the ADAC TCR Germany series (August 4-6), where the car will be on display in the paddock throughout the weekend.