Surprising news emerged as Kris Meeke was spotted putting the latest specification Hyundai i20 N Rally2 through its paces in Finland. The Northern Irish driver put the Korean manufacturer's car through rigorous testing on gravel roads around Jamsa on Monday, just before heading to the European Rally Championship finale at the Rally of Six Cities in Northern Portugal where he is scheduled to pilot a Toyota machine.
The five-time World Rally Championship winner remained tight-lipped regarding his unexpected reunion with the Hyundai squad. This comes after he previously dominated the Portuguese domestic series aboard a Team Hyundai Portugal i20 throughout the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
Sources close to the private test revealed to DirtFish that the vehicle shares a very similar appearance to this year's Rally2 challenger and completed the run completely uninterrupted by mechanical issues. "The car looks very similar to this year’s and it’s run without any stops. If you are listening from the trees, maybe you can hear something a little bit different," an insider told DirtFish, describing the subtle sound of the engine during the running.
Meanwhile, Hyundai has consistently maintained publicly that it holds no immediate intentions to homologate a WRC Kit to elevate its Rally2 machine into the top-tier Rally1 category. Despite this official stance, lingering paddock speculation suggests the firm could potentially be developing the car under the revised technical regulations slated for introduction in 2027.
The broader picture regarding Hyundai participation in next year's WRC remains shrouded in uncertainty as the official works outfit is widely expected to transition into a satellite factory setup. DirtFish has reached out to Hyundai management for an official statement regarding the secretive test session.
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