Hyundai Motor to Continue Its Nürburgring 24-Hour Race Journey with 11th Consecutive Entry

What Are Hyundai Motor’s Main Objectives for the Race?

Hyundai Motor aims to build on its historic success at the 24H Nürburgring race, having competed at the event every year since 2016. This year, the company will look to build a successful story on its success in the 2025 event by securing a sixth consecutive victory in the TCR class.

A second key objective is the pre-market validation of Hyundai N’s next-generation core powertrain. Two ELANTRA N1 RP cars, equipped with a new pre-production engine, will compete in the SP4T class. By entering these vehicles in one of the world’s most demanding endurance races, Hyundai Motor is set to publicly validate the new powertrain’s performance and durability in extreme conditions. This effort helps build global anticipation and demonstrates the engine’s capabilities before its planned integration into future road-going N models.

Why Is This Race Important for Hyundai N?

The relationship between Hyundai N and the Nürburgring runs deep. Hyundai N takes its name from the Nürburgring, where Hyundai Motor operates a technical center, as well as the company’s Namyang R&D Center in Korea. Known as ‘The Green Hell,’ the Nürburgring provides a challenging proving ground for all of Hyundai N’s high-performance vehicles. Continuous participation in the 24-hour race provides invaluable data that directly influences the performance, durability and driving dynamics of every N production vehicle, validating the lineup’s three core pillars: ‘Corner Rascal,’ ‘Everyday Sports Car,’ and ‘Racetrack Capability.’

Who Will Drive for the Hyundai N Teams?

Hyundai Motor will enter a total of three teams in the race. The first Hyundai N Team, driving the ELANTRA N TCR, features elite drivers and previous 24H Nürburgring winners including Mikel Azcona, Marc Basseng, Manuel Lauck, and Nico Bastian.

Meanwhile, the other two teams will pilot the ELANTRA N1 RP models. In the second Hyundai N Team, Manuel Lauck, Mikel Azcona, Mark Wallenwein will join Korean driver Gyumin Kim, who was previous Hyundai N Festival N1 Class champion. The third team, besides Mark Wallenwein, from the Hyundai Jr program, will see Youngchan Kim team up with rising stars Woojin Shin from Korea and U.S. driver CJ Sepulveda.

This international lineup not only demonstrates Hyundai N’s global reach but also its commitment to nurturing the next generation of motorsport talent.