Hyundai Motorsports Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Craig Breen with Stunning Livery at WRC Croatia
In a powerful display of remembrance, Hyundai has unveiled a breathtaking new livery for this weekend's Croatian leg of the World Rally Championship (WRC), dedicated to the memory of the late Craig Breen. The beloved Irish rally driver tragically lost his life in a pre-event testing accident while preparing for the Croatia Rally in 2023, leaving a void in the motorsport community that can never truly be filled.
This year, Hyundai has taken its tribute to the next level with an eye-catching design that features striking portraits of Breen emblazoned across the sides and roof of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car. The livery prominently showcases the heartfelt ‘ForCraig’ moniker, which the team has carried since his untimely passing. Additionally, a tribute line, including Breen's iconic phrase 'flat to the square right', reinforces his legacy as a driver who symbolized the very spirit of rallying.
The tribute doesn’t stop at the car's design. The livery also pays homage to the Craig Breen Foundation, an initiative established in 2023 aimed at nurturing the future of Irish rallying talent. This foundation is pivotal in providing multi-year support for the Irish J1000 Forestry Series, which includes vital prize funds and elite coaching designed to foster the next generation of rally stars.
Cyril Abiteboul, Hyundai Motorsport's president and team principal, expressed the team's unwavering commitment to honoring Breen's legacy: “The sentiment is still the same within the team: we want to continue to remember Craig Breen not only for the driver he was on the stages, but also the man he was off them,” he stated passionately. “Craig was the epitome of what rallying is in every element of his life; from his camaraderie on event to his passion for nurturing the next generation of talent in his native Ireland, everyone can pinpoint something about him that impacted them positively. We are honored to have been a small part of his life, and I can speak for the whole team when I say that we will do all we can to help his memory live on.”
As Hyundai approaches the Croatian rally, they are not just competing; they are rallying with purpose. After breaking Toyota's podium lockout with Adrien Fourmaux's impressive second-place finish at the Safari Rally in Kenya last month, the team is eager to showcase their resilience on new asphalt terrain. This year’s route diverges from previous races, with only three stages carried over from the WRC's last visit to Croatia in 2024, as the rally shifts from Zagreb to the picturesque coastal city of Rijeka.
With its stunning tribute livery and a mission to honor a fallen hero, Hyundai is set to make waves in the WRC Croatia Rally, reminding everyone that the spirit of Craig Breen will live on in the hearts of fans and fellow competitors alike. This weekend, as engines roar and tires grip the asphalt, the rallying world will unite to celebrate the life of a true champion.