The Hyundai i20 WRC is a World Rally Car built by Hyundai for use from the 2014 World Rally Championship.[7] It is based on the Hyundai i20 subcompact car, and was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The launch of the i20 marks Hyundai's return to the World Rally Championship after a ten-year absence.[8] The car made its first competitive appearance at the 2014 Rallye Monte Carlo.[9]

Hyundai i20 WRC
Chris Atkinson and co-driver Stephane Prevot at the 2014 Rally Mexico
CategoryWorld Rally Car
ConstructorHyundai
PredecessorHyundai Accent WRC (Hyundai Castrol WRT)
SuccessorHyundai i20 Coupe WRC
Technical specifications
EngineHyundai T-GDI 1,591 cc (97 cu in) I4 turbocharged
FuelShell V-Power
LubricantsShell Helix
Competition history (WRC)
Notable entrantsGermany Hyundai Shell World Rally Team[1]
Germany Hyundai Motorsport N[2]
Notable driversAustralia Chris Atkinson[1]
France Bryan Bouffier[3]
Finland Juho Hänninen[4]
Belgium Thierry Neuville[5]
New Zealand Hayden Paddon[2]
Spain Dani Sordo[1]
Netherlands Kevin Abbring[6]
DebutMonaco 2014 Monte Carlo Rally
First winGermany 2014 Rallye Deutschland
Last winItaly 2016 Rally Italia Sardegna
RacesWins
393

Competition history

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The cars are prepared by Hyundai's performance division, Hyundai Motorsport, from a base in Frankfurt, Germany,[10] and were driven by Thierry Neuville,[5] with Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo in the 2nd and 3rd cars.[1][4] A third i20 was entered in the Rally of Portugal for Sordo,[11] In 2014 2011 Production Car World Rally Champion Hayden Paddon drove the third car in seven events during the second half of the season.[2] Additional development work was carried out by Bryan Bouffier.[12]

For 2015, Hyundai retained Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon. In addition, Dutchman Kevin Abbring was the main test driver for the new Hyundai i20 WRC.

 
Neuville driving a 2016 spec Hyundai i20 WRC at Rally Portugal.

For 2016, Hyundai re-homologated the i20 to compete with the five-door version of the model. Neuville won at Italy and scored seven podiums, finishing runner-up behind Volkswagen driver Sébastien Ogier. Paddon also won in his debut in Argentina.

For the new regulation set in 2017 the car was replaced with the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC.

WRC victories

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Year No. Event Surface Driver Co-driver
2014 1   2014 Rallye Deutschland       Tarmac   Thierry Neuville         Nicolas Gilsoul      
2016 2   2016 Rally Argentina       Gravel   Hayden Paddon         John Kennard      
2016 3   2016 Rally Italia Sardegna       Gravel   Thierry Neuville         Nicolas Gilsoul      

Complete World Rally Championship results

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Year Entrant Driver Co-Driver Rounds Points WCM
pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2014   Hyundai Shell World Rally Team   Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul MCO
Ret
SWE
9
MEX
3
PRT
6
ARG
5
ITA
9
POL
3
FIN
Ret
DEU
1
AUS
7
FRA
8
ESP
6
GBR
4
187 4th
  Dani Sordo   Marc Martí MCO
Ret
SWE MEX PRT ARG
Ret
ITA POL FIN DEU
2
AUS FRA
4
ESP
5
GBR
  Juho Hänninen   Tomi Tuominen MCO SWE
7
MEX PRT
7
ARG ITA
Ret
POL
6
FIN
6
DEU AUS FRA ESP GBR
30
  Chris Atkinson   Stéphane Prévot MCO SWE MEX
7
PRT ARG ITA POL FIN DEU AUS
10
FRA ESP GBR
  Hyundai Motorsport N   Dani Sordo   Marc Martí MCO SWE MEX PRT
Ret
ARG ITA POL FIN DEU AUS FRA ESP GBR 28 7th
  Hayden Paddon   John Kennard MCO SWE MEX PRT ARG ITA
12
POL
8
FIN
8
DEU AUS
6
FRA ESP
9
GBR
10
  Bryan Bouffier   Xavier Panseri MCO SWE MEX PRT ARG ITA POL FIN DEU
Ret
AUS FRA
9
ESP GBR
2015   Hyundai Shell World Rally Team   Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul MCO
5
SWE
2
MEX
8
ARG
Ret
PRT
38
ITA
3
POL
6
FIN
4
DEU
5
AUS
7
FRA
23
ESP
8
224 3rd
  Dani Sordo   Marc Martí MON
6
SWE
WD
MEX
5
ARG
5
POR
6
ITA
20
POL
10
FIN
11
DEU
4
FRA
7
ESP
3
GBR
4
  Hayden Paddon      John Kennard MON SWE
5
AUS
5
GBR
5
  Hyundai Motorsport N   Kevin Abbring   Sebastian Marshall  MON SWE
11
MEX ARG POR ITA POL
15
FIN DEU
11
AUS FRA
Ret
ESP GBR
Ret
67 6th
  Hayden Paddon      John Kennard MEX
17
ARG
16
POR
8
ITA
2
POL
4
FIN
Ret
GER
9
FRA
5
ESP
6
  Dani Sordo   Marc Martí AUS
8
  Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul GBR
Ret
2016   Hyundai Motorsport
(Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC)
  Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul MON
3
SWE
14
MEX
Ret
ARG
6
POL
4
FIN
4
GER
3
FRA
2
ESP
3
GBR
3
AUS
3
312 2nd
  Hayden Paddon   John Kennard SWE
2
POR
Ret
ITA
Ret
POL
3
FIN
5
AUS
4
  Dani Sordo   Marc Martí MON
6
MEX
4
ARG
4
POR
4
ITA
4
GER
2
FRA
7
ESP
2
GBR
6
  Hyundai Motorsport N
(Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC)
  Hayden Paddon   John Kennard MON
25
MEX
5
ARG
1
GER
5
FRA
6
ESP
4
GBR
4
146 5th
  Kevin Abbring   Sebastian Marshall MON SWE MEX ARG POR
Ret
ITA
15
POL FIN
9
GER FRA ESP
7
GBR AUS
  Dani Sordo   Marc Martí SWE
6
POL
Ret
AUS
5
  Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul POR
29
ITA
1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Wraps come off i20 WRC". WRC.com. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Hyundai hands Hayden Paddon WRC lifeline". Speedcafe.com. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  3. ^ "ADAC Rallye Deutschland Entry List". www.adac-rallye-deutschland.de. adac-rallye-deutschland.de. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Hyundai adds Hänninen". WRC.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Neuville signs with Hyundai for 2014". WRC.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Hyundai signs Kevin Abbring to part-time WRC deal for 2015 - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com". Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  7. ^ Evans, David (17 December 2012). "Hyundai World Rally Car makes European test debut". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Hyundai". World Rally Archive. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  9. ^ Evans, David (27 September 2012). "Hyundai reveals new i20 World Rally Car". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  10. ^ Evans, David (19 December 2012). "Hyundai's early WRC effort was more than just a show car". Motorsport News.
  11. ^ "Hyundai Goes large in Portugal". WRC.com. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  12. ^ "Bouffier joins Hyundai as test driver". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
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