Tänak's teammate Thierry Neuville (Belgium) also test-drove the car, in the Alsace region of France, during a session spanning several days and which had been interrupted by snowy weather.

Aujourd'hui on observe @OttTanak en test ! #WRC #Hyundai pic.twitter.com/IcU4snYZ0t

— ANL AUTO (@anlauto) December 20, 2021

PET @OttTanak @HMSGOfficial @MartinJarveoja @OfficialWRC pic.twitter.com/PZWkx7sXYS

— Dani Loebinen (@DaniLoebinen) December 20, 2021

A longer video of the test drive is here.

The new season starts January 20 with the Monte Carlo Rally

Tänak, 34, from Saaremaa, was WRC champion in 2019 with Toyota, moving immediately afterward to his current team. He and Järveoja, also 34, and from Elva, finished third in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, and fifth in the 2021 season, which ended last month. Tänak pulled out of the season finale in Monza, citing personal reasons.

Tänak, Neuville, Spanish driver Dani Sordo and Swedish-Norwegian Oliver Solberg make up Hyundai's WRC team for 2022.

The 2022 #WRC driver line-ups are complete ✅ pic.twitter.com/R1k3m3Ti8L

— WRC - FIA World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) December 22, 2021

The championship is due to introduce a new set of technical regulations known as "Rally1" to replace the regular WRC car and which will place a greater emphasis on standardized parts than in previous years to make the sport more accessible.

Rally1 is also set to introduce hybrid drivetrains to the sport, as an e-motor rated at 100 kW (134.1 BhP) and fitted to current 1.6 L turbocharged engine.

This must be used to power the car when travelling around service parks, and through built-up areas when driving between stages, while drivers will be free to use the e-motor to offer additional power when actually competing, subject to FIA regulations.

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