The Hyundai i30 N TCR of Gabriele Tarquini and Jae Kyun Kim finished third in class on its début in the first round of the 2018 VLN last weekend, with the sister car of Nicola Larini and Manuel Lauck ending up sixth in class.
The cars were run by Target Competition in Hyundai colours for the event, with both i30s having to carry 50 kg of Balance of Performance [BoP] weight, more than their competitors in the field.
Whilst the #831 car of Tarquini and Kim had a relatively trouble-free run, aside from being tapped into a spin at the first corner of the race, the #830 car of Larini and Lauck lost time in the pitlane and could only manage sixth in the TCR class.
The time lost in the pitlane came after the car had slid off on oil dropped by a competitor, damaging the rear suspension on the car.
“A class podium is a fantastic result for the i30 N TCR on its debut at the Nürburgring Nordschleife,” said Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manger Andrea Adamo. “The circuit is one of the ultimate tests for any car, so the result is a huge credit to the performance of the car, as well as Gabriele and Jae Kyun who were consistent the whole race.
“Unfortunately, the car is still as a BoP disadvantage, with 50kg more than other TCR cars, but that fact, and the contact at the first corner to the race make the result even more impressive”
Tarquini enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the i30 N TCR on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with the Italian also using the event as part of his preparations for a full season in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2018.
“It was a tough race on an incredibly demanding circuit, but it was very enjoyable at the wheel of the i30 N TCR,” said Tarquini. “Both Jae Kyun and I showed that car can be consistently on the pace, despite our lack of experience with the car around the track.
“The contact at the start of the race was a shame, but it was a typical Nurburgring accident, with the very tight first corner. However, the i30 N TCR again proved how tough it is, not taking any damage, and we were able to continue after the incident.
“It was a great race for me, not only because of the result, but also because it gave me some extra time in car before the WTCR season comes here in a few months.”
Jae Kyun Kim made the journey from South Korea, where he is part of the manufacturers’ global Research and Development centre.
“It was certainly a very good weekend for me, and for the i30 N TCR,” added Kim, who lost around a minute due to confusion surrounding a yellow flag at Döttinger Höhe during the race. “When I first drove the car I could immediately feel the performance of the engine and the chassis. However, it was still very easy to drive, and I feel like I was able to get the best performance from it quickly during the race.
“During my stint I was gaining on the class leader, which for me shows both how good the car is, and how easy it is to drive on the pace at the front of the TCR category, as I had not driven the car before arriving for the race weekend.”