First Hyundai arrives ahead of TCR Australia debut

The first of two Hyundai i30 N TCR race cars set to compete in the new TCR Australia Series have arrived in Sydney as preparations continue for the first season of the new championship.

The HMO Customer Racing team will field a pair of i30 N TCRs in the series, which gets underway in May next year, with the Hyundais joining cars from Audi, Volkswagen and Honda on the grid so far.

The first car will hit the track on Monday at Sydney Motorsport Park for a ‘media and competitors’ day, with the second car arriving on Australian soil at a later date.

“HMO Customer Racing is very excited to be competing in the inaugural TCR Australia series,” team owner Barry Morcom said. “We have great support from Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing, and we are pleased to have received our first i30 N into Australia. This car was airfreighted from Germany, and our second car will arrive soon via sea freight.

“We will announce our drivers in for 2019 in due course. With the various manufacturers, HMO Customer Racing sees this world-renowned category as an exciting step for Australian Motorsport.”

Matt Braid, Director of series promoter the Australian Racing Group, was delighted to confirm that the Hyundai will feature on the grid.

“It is fantastic to see the arrival of our fourth different make of TCR car to Australia ahead of next year’s championship,” he said. “Hyundai is one of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, but in comparison to its rivals in the automotive world, it has a young history in motorsport.

“I’m not surprised at all, though, that they have enjoyed so much early success in TCR on a global front.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the HMO Customer Racing team on the grid next year.”