Hyundai hopes success will raise popularity of motorsports in Korea

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Published: 05 Feb. 2023, 17:34 Updated: 05 Feb. 2023, 17:58

Hyundai hopes success will raise popularity of motorsports in Korea

From left: Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Director Andrea Cisotti, BRC Hyundai Team Executive Gabriel Rizzo, Vice President of N Brand Management & Motorsport Till Wartenberg, 2022 WTCR champion Mikel Azcona, Hyundai Motor Executive Vice President Chang Jae-hoon, 2019 WTCR champion Norbert Michelisz and 2018 WTCR champion Gabriele Tarquini pose for a photo during a media day at the Hyundai Motor office in Seocho, southern Seoul on Feb, 1. [HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY]

Hyundai Motorsport, the racing division of automaker Hyundai Motor, is looking to grow the sport in Korea off the back of multiple championship titles on the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) circuit.

Hyundai Motorsport held a press day on Feb. 1 at the automaker's headquarters in Seocho District, southern Seoul, in honor of driver Mikel Azcona and the BRC Hyundai team, who became double champions on the 2022 WTCR circuit.

Azcona earned the driver's champion title last November when the WTCR season finished in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with BRC Hyundai taking the team title.

Azcona joined the BRC Hyundai team officials and former champion drivers at the press event to answer questions about the team and the development of the sport in Korea.

“It was my first season with Hyundai last year," Azcona said, "and it was an honor and a pleasure working with Hyundai Motors in 2022.”

Vice president of N Brand Management & Motorsport Till Wartenberg discussed how Hyundai plans to capitalize on last year's success going into this season.

“I personally want to win the World Rally Championship, but that is not the ultimate objective,” Wartenberg said. “We have a racing tournament this year too and want to win a driver’s championship title. We hope to maintain that winning vibe for the next few years.”

Park Joon-woo, Hyundai’s global marketing strategy team manager, added that Hyundai also wants to grow the sport in Korea, where there has typically been far less interest in motorsport.

“We are living with a sense of duty that we need to do our part for the Korean people who like cars,” Park said.

As part of the push to promote the sport, Hyundai Motorsport also introduced a new series of racing simulators that allow users to feel like they are driving a real race car.

“You can see the racing simulators over there," Park said, "and 13-year-old kids that came here this morning competed with our champions through the simulators.

“We also thought about hosting a WTCR event in Inje, Gangwon but could not do so due to the Covid situation.”

Inje is home to the Inje Speedium, one of Korea's only professional racing circuits.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]