WRC, Sportrik Media – Thierry Neuville spent Wednesday in the French Alps driving the lower-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally2 to build deeper knowledge of Hankook tires ahead of the 2026 Monte Carlo Rally.
The move reflects Hyundai Motorsport’s response to the severe testing restrictions now in place across the World Rally Championship.
Unlike previous years when manufacturers could camp in the mountains for weeks, drivers are now limited to essentially one full day of pre-event running.
This has forced teams to find innovative ways to rebuild their tire database with the new control supplier Hankook, introduced in 2025.
Neuville, a two-time Monte Carlo winner from 15 starts, has limited competitive experience with Hankook tires in full Rally1 conditions.
Hyundai therefore opted to use the slower Rally2 platform to isolate and concentrate entirely on tire behaviour.
Hyundai sporting director Andrew Wheatley explained that the Rally2 serves as an effective tool for this purpose.
“The Rally2 car is a very useful tool in that direction. Yes, it’s very different from the Rally1 car, but we’re not looking for the ultimate performance,” he said.
“We’re looking to understand the trends and the periphery of the choices. In the Rally2, drivers can focus solely on what the tire is doing in the conditions.”
This approach allows repeated runs over the same roads with the sole objective of mapping tire performance across Monte Carlo’s notoriously variable surfaces—snow, ice, wet, and dry asphalt.
All feedback will also contribute to ongoing evolution of the customer i20 N Rally2 program.
Other drivers including Adrien Fourmaux and Hayden Paddon are scheduled for similar sessions.
Hyundai has shifted its primary test base from Finland to France to better replicate Monte conditions.
The strategy comes as the team prepares for 2026 with Neuville and Fourmaux as full-season entries, while the third car is shared among Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi, and Paddon.
In an era of ever-tighter testing limits, using Rally2 for targeted tire development has become a critical advantage for Hyundai heading into one of the championship’s most unpredictable events.
Read more in-depth WRC analysis only on Sportrik.com/en.
Baca Juga
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