Belgium race victory highlights Hyundai's commitment in auto tech

Thierry Neuville of Belgium drives his Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC during the Ypres Rally, a part of the year-round World Rally Championship (WRC) in Belgium, Aug. 13. EPA-Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

Hyundai Motor Group's recent win at the World Rally Championship (WRC) illustrates Chairman Chung Euisun's commitment to take Korea's No. 1 carmaker to a higher level since taking office in October 2020.

With its i20 Coupe WPC, the company triumphed in the Ypres Rally of the WRC in Belgium from Aug. 13 to 15.

The Belgium event was a part of the year-round WRC races that will decide the overall champion in the manufacturer's and driver's category at the end of the year.

Hyundai's victory comes after the company kept improving engines and other parts of the i20 Coupe WRC, a racing version of its subcompact car the i20, since 2017.

Hosted by FIA, the world's governing body of auto racing, the rally attracts the world's top automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Honda and Toyota.

Hyundai, compared to its competitors with years of expertise, was considered an underdog after entering the WRC in 2015. But it continued to make progress, capturing the overall champion's title in the manufacturer's category in 2019, finishing first in the Artic Rally Finland in February, before adding the win in Belgium.

“All these achievement would not have been possible without Chung's leadership,” a source said, noting the WRC fans in general did not expect Hyundai to last so long after its rally debut.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun

Chung has brought on board high-profile automotive engineers and marketing strategists.

The two possibly most notable figures are Albert Biermann, the president and head of the R&D Division at Hyundai Motor and Kia, two major affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group, and Thomas Schemera, Hyundai Motor's global chief marketing officer and head of the Customer Experience Division.

Formerly vice president of BMW's high-performance M engineering, Biermann was pivotal in the production of Hyundai's Genesis luxury brand, its high-performance vehicles such as the i30 N and Veloster, as well the Korean carmaker's advance to next-generation technologies such as electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles.

Also a former BMW M executive, Schemera is responsible for direction for technology development and product planning to cope with the rapidly-changing market and innovations in technology.

He also achieved positive results for the company's motorsports division.

“These two executives are essential for Chung's vision for new technological fields, including autonomous driving, electrification, hydrogen fuel cells, robotics and urban air mobility,” a source said.

Thierry Neuville of Belgium drove the i20 Coupe WPC in the Ypres Rally, finishing 30.7 seconds ahead of Ireland's Craig Breen who also drives for Hyundai.