Ricardo appointed as Hyundai Motorsport’s four wheel drive transmission technical partner

Ricardo will draw upon its extensive experience in traditional, hybrid and fully electric motorsport together with its longstanding pedigree in World Rally Championship, to support Hyundai Motorsport as it fights for the World Rally Championship title.
 
Hyundai Motorsport GmbH (HMSG) has selected world-leading motorsport transmission specialist Ricardo Performance Products as technical partner in the development of the all new hybrid four wheel drive (4WD) transmission for its next generation World Rally Championship (WRC) to be used in competition from the 2022 season – while also renewing the existing agreement under which Ricardo supplies drivelines for the i20 N Rally2 car.
 
The new collaboration builds upon a successful five-year partnership with Ricardo on the Hyundai i20 R5, which featured a 5-speed sequential gearbox and differential units designed and manufactured by Ricardo.
 
Martin Starkey, Managing Director of Ricardo Performance Products Division said: “I am pleased that Ricardo has been selected by Hyundai Motorsport to provide the hybrid driveline for their next generation 4WD WRC car, following our extremely successful collaboration on the i20 R5 which is now being extended into Rally2.”
 
“Ricardo has extensive experience in the field of top tier, traditional and electric powered motorsport, and we have made significant investments in our performance manufacturing facilities in terms of both capacity and capabilities. I am confident, therefore, that we will offer HMSG a very strong technical solution to support their bid for the World Rally Championship title in 2022 and beyond, while also building on the proven success of the i20 with the transmission for the next generation Rally2 car.”    
 
As HMSG’s technical partner in developing the new hybrid 4WD transmission, Ricardo will draw upon its extensive experience of electric motorsports, together with its longstanding pedigree in World Rally Championship transmissions and drivelines.
 
Working exclusively with HMSG in World Rally Championship, Ricardo will support Hyundai in its mission to fight for the world championship title. The new hybrid transmissions will be designed, manufactured and assembled at the Ricardo Performance Products facility in Leamington Spa, UK.