Hyundai unveils its special livery for the Safari Rally

After several seasons with a fairly similar livery year after year, 2026 marked a change for Hyundai en WRCIf a touch of whimsy had been seen at Monte Carlo 2024 where the car, among other things, of Thierry Neuville After receiving a special livery, the car reverted to the standard design for the very next race, much to the disappointment of the team's fans. For the Safari Rally, Hyundai has now unveiled its second livery in three races, following the "comic strip" design seen at Monte Carlo. Silhouettes of typical savanna animals and zebra stripes appear on both the car's doors and roof, which retains its gold wrap to minimize heat buildup inside the cabin. Like all the other cars entered in the Safari Rally, the i20N Rally1 has also been fitted with snorkels to prevent the engine from flooding when crossing rivers.

Hyundai needs to react very quickly

For Hyundai, this week's event is already crucial. After two disastrous rallies in Monte Carlo and Sweden, a reaction is urgently needed. For this Safari Rally, Hyundai is counting on a rally endurance and hopes that pure performance does not become the key factor in the event. Everyone at Hyundai is aware of this: under normal circumstances, the Toyota are ahead and the Ford Puma Rally1s ofM-Sport are even worth monitoring depending on the terrain, as was the case in Sweden. Three cars are entered this weekend by Hyundai for Thierry Neuville. Adrien fourmaux and Esapekka Lappi, who has just won his third victory in as many rallies contested in the Finnish Championship this season, and who had been the team's best performer in Umeå.

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