Hyundai’s i30 N TCR is a WTCR race winner

Gabriele Tarquini of BRC Racing Team shouts in joy after taking the first spot in the 2018 World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) with Hyundai Motor’s i30 N TCR in Morocco. [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Hyundai Motor’s racing car took the top prize at the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR), an international touring car championship, which took place in Morocco from April 6 to 8.

The automaker said Monday that its i30 N TCR vehicles outperformed the Audi RS 3 LMS, Volkswagen GTI and Honda Civic Type R among 25 participants to take first place by earning the highest points in three races.

Two teams - BRC Racing Team and Yvan Muller Team - took a total of four i30 N TCR vehicles to the race. BRC Team’s Gabriele Tarquini received the highest marks at 62 points, followed by Yvan Muller Team’s Thed Bjork, with 51 points.

“The i30 N TCR is Hyundai Motor’s first circuit racing car available for purchase, developed from multiple test runs around the world and last year’s demonstrative participation in TCR,” an official from Hyundai Motor said.

“Hyundai Motor will not settle with just selling racing cars but is going to show continuous support for client racing teams that purchased the i30 N TCR,” the official added.

Hyundai Motor establishing a separate team dedicated to high performance cars in March, integrating related teams that were randomly distributed in separate divisions. It appointed Thomas Schemera, former U.S. head of BMW’s M series, to run the new division.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]