Hyundai’s WTCR future safe despite Lukoil sponsor absence
Hyundai Motorsport Deputy Team Principal Julien Moncet says the brand’s future in the World Touring Car Cup is secured despite dropping Lukoil as a major sponsor ahead of the 2022 campaign.
The Russian oil company has been a backer of the BRC Hyundai team since it arrived in the WTCR in 2019, but the deal came under review following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Upon the unveiling of the team’s livery for the 2022 season, Lukoil branding was missing from the Hyundai Elantra N TCR that 2019 WTCR champion Norbert Michelisz and new signing Mikel Azcona will drive.
However Moncet told TouringCarTimes that whilst Hyundai’s customer racing department and the BRC team are actively looking for alternative sponsors, its participation in the WTCR is guaranteed for 2022.
“We had discussions with Lukoil regarding sponsorship but no agreement has been signed yet,” Moncet said to TouringCarTimes.
“Of course, we are looking for alternatives this year, but still our budget is secured for the season.
“I don’t have a crystal ball at the moment so I have no idea how the situation will evolve. We are still talking with different partners and sponsors so we will see how things turn out.
“But what is important is that we are here, with our programme, with our drivers regardless of the uncertainty around the sponsorship deal.”
A number of teams across motorsport have severed ties with Russian companies since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, most notably the Haas Formula 1 Team which dropped its title sponsor Urakali. Junior single-seater team Hitech parted ways with the same company before the Formula 2 season.
Despite this setback, Moncet believes the team can hit the ground running at the opening round of the year in Pau, having learnt valuable lessons from the Elantra’s maiden campaign last year.
“The car showed some good potential last year, our first season, so we are confident that we understand everything a lot better this year,” Moncet said.
“There is no reason we cannot win this year, we’ve worked hard on set-up since last year. For sure, we only have two cars this year compared to four but we have one of the best driver line-ups in the WTCR to fight for the title.
“We’ll maybe have less data than the bigger teams, but we will probably have more relevant data with just two cars. The decision has not been taken lightly but we can definitely focus more on quality than quantity and it’s a choice we are comfortable with.”
