Kevin Abbring, who is partnered by navigator Seb Marshall, joins theHyundai squad as its official test driver. While his main focus will be helping to develop Hyundai’s New Generation i20 WRC, the Dutchman will also contest selected world championship events for the Germany-based team.

Abbring, who is partnered by navigator Seb Marshall, joins the squad as its official test driver. While his main focus will be helping to develop Hyundai’s New Generation i20 WRC, the Dutchman will also contest selected world championship events for the Germany-based team.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Hyundai Motorsport driver line-up in 2015 in the role of test driver,” said Abbring, who turns 26 next week. “I watched the team’s debut season in WRC with interest and they really surpassed everyone’s expectations. I look forward to making a contribution to the ongoing development of the car and working with a very talented team of people.”

Hyundai Motorsport head Michel Nandan added:“We are pleased to include Kevin in our driver line-up for 2015, He is an extremely talented young driver and definitely one to watch for the future. We take our role as a WRC manufacturer seriously and have to invest in the talent of tomorrow. He impressed us with his approach and his ability in some roll-outs last year and we followed his progress in ERC and Rallye de France closely. He has vast experience with different rally cars and his contribution to the development of our New Generation i20 WRC will be valuable. It’s great to have him as part of our driver roster.”

Although Abbring never managed an outright victory in last year’s ERC due to considerable bad luck, he scored 21 stage bests, two podiums and also earned the Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy in Açores and Ypres. Having led four rallies outright, he was named Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy Driver of the Year at the end-of-season awards ceremony in Corsica.

With Abbring stepping up to the world championship in 2015, promising French star Charles Martin will follow in his wheel tracks by joining the Peugeot Rally Academy for an ERC campaign as the Peugeot 208 Rally Cup champion, a title Abbring won in 2013.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Hyundai Motorsport driver line-up in 2015 in the role of test driver,” said Abbring, who turns 26 next week. “I watched the team’s debut season in WRC with interest and they really surpassed everyone’s expectations. I look forward to making a contribution to the ongoing development of the car and working with a very talented team of people.”

Hyundai Motorsport head Michel Nandan added:“We are pleased to include Kevin in our driver line-up for 2015, He is an extremely talented young driver and definitely one to watch for the future. We take our role as a WRC manufacturer seriously and have to invest in the talent of tomorrow. He impressed us with his approach and his ability in some roll-outs last year and we followed his progress in ERC and Rallye de France closely. He has vast experience with different rally cars and his contribution to the development of our New Generation i20 WRC will be valuable. It’s great to have him as part of our driver roster.”

Although Abbring never managed an outright victory in last year’s ERC due to considerable bad luck, he scored 21 stage bests, two podiums and also earned the Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy in Açores and Ypres. Having led four rallies outright, he was named Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophy Driver of the Year at the end-of-season awards ceremony in Corsica.

With Abbring stepping up to the world championship in 2015, promising French star Charles Martin will follow in his wheel tracks by joining the Peugeot Rally Academy for an ERC campaign as the Peugeot 208 Rally Cup champion, a title Abbring won in 2013.