Revised Hyundai for Portugal debut

At a press conference this evening, team boss David Whitehead promised that the revised car would be a "significant step forward" for the Korean manufacturer. It ran for the first time on Wednesday near the team's base in Milton Keynes, and further mileage is planned today (Thursday) at a nearby airfield in preparation for a major test in Portugal next week.

"We're very excited about the new car," said Whitehead. "It features revisions in a large number of areas, including the engine and the transmission. We're confident it'll be a good step forward."

The new car reportedly sports a revised front end and it will also feature a different livery, in line with a major branding change for the team's main sponsor, Castrol.

Meanwhile, Hyundai's third driver, Italian Piero Liatti, looks set to tackle the Cyprus Rally and Rally GB in addition to his asphalt programme.

Whitehead confirmed that the former Monte Carlo winner would not get his wish of a long-haul event (Australia was his preferred choice), but said: "Piero could do other rallies for us outside of the world championship. Local importers might want a strong Hyundai entry on their major national events, and he's very keen. We could even use those outings to run the new evolution of the Accent in anger and gain more mileage."