Winton Raceway, Victoria: HMO Customer Racing is set to debut a new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR in the season finale of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship, the Bathurst International, in November.
The Hyundai outfit last week received the brand-new four-door sedan at its Campbelltown facility in South-West Sydney and gave the car its first shakedown test at Winton Raceway in Victoria today.
Team drivers Nathan Morcom and Josh Buchan shared the responsibility during its Australian track debut to gain a better understanding of its performance potential ahead of its competitive debut at Mount Panorama in the hands of Buchan, who sits fourth on the championship ladder and remains in contention for the 2022 TCR Australia title.
“It’s very exciting that new cars are being introduced to the category, which shows the growth of the championship and its relevance to manufacturers such as Hyundai,” said Buchan.
“I’ve never driven a brand-new anything before – from go-karts and throughout my car racing career – so to be given this opportunity is very special.
“On top of that, to learn that I will then be driving the i30 Sedan N TCR for the first time in competition at Bathurst is phenomenal and a genuine privilege. It’s a real honour to have the support to make this happen from all the team at HMO Customer Racing, including team owner Barry Morcom and my chief engineer Rob Benson, and also Hyundai Australia.
“While it is not ideal that I will be heading to Bathurst with very few laps under my belt, we have already proven how successful the i30 N TCR already is in hatchback form with multiple wins and are confident the i30 Sedan N TCR will be just as competitive, particularly at Bathurst.
“In any case, it is be great to get a better understanding of the car ahead of next year so we can get a head start and hit the ground running for a full title tilt in 2023.”
Morcom added: “It is be great to jump into the later generation TCR car to experience the differences between the two models and get a better understanding of how it performs.
“We know the i30 N is such a great car out of the box, and we have plenty of reference data at Winton Raceway with the hatch, so I can’t wait to see what the i30 Sedan N TCR can do.
“The car looks amazing in person, and the controls – especially on the steering wheel – are even more advanced, so it will be beneficial to get a good systems check and shake down all the new components ahead of Bathurst.”
The Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR is known globally as the Elantra N TCR and, like the i30 N TCR hatchback that HMO Customer Racing has used with great success over the past four years including victory in the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019, is built by Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Racing division at its Alzenau facility in Germany.
The car made its competition debut in the season opening race of the 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Sport Challenge at Daytona International Speedway in January 2021, and has since chalked up numerous high-profile victories, including a dominant class win at this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour race.
The Elantra N currently leads the World Touring Car Racing (WTCR) series in both the teams’ and driver’s championship courtesy of BRC Hyundai Squadra Corse and Spain’s Mikel Azcona, and also recently clinched the Italian TCR Championship with Dutchman Neils Langeveld.
The final round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia will be held at Mount Panorama at Bathurst on November 11-13.
Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR Tech Specs
Dimensions
Length: 4710mm
Width: 1950mm
Wheelbase:2 750mm
Minimum Weight: 1265kg including the driver
Engine
Turbocharged 4-cylinder in line, transversally installed
Distribution: two overhead camshafts, 16 valves
Displacement: 1998cc
Max. output: 350hp @ 7000 rpm
Max. torque: 450Nm @ 3500 rpm
Transmission
Front-wheel-drive
Gearbox: 6-speed sequential with paddle shift
Clutch: Cerametallic twin-disc
Differential: multi-plate limited slip differential with external pre-load
Chassis
Front suspension: McPherson strut, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: 4-arm multi-link axle, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: electrical power assisted rack and pinion
Brakes
Dual circuit hydraulic system
Front brakes: six-piston calipers, 380 mm steel ventilated discs
Rear brakes: two-piston calipers, 278 mm steel discs
Wheels
Braid 10″x18″ aerodynamic rims, specifically designed for Hyundai Motorsport
Fuel System
100-liter fuel tank with endurance refuelling capability
Interior
OMP race seats and 6-point, HANS compatible, harness
