Kevin Abbring and co-driver Seb Marshall have supplied Hyundai with the first victory in a major rally for the new generation i20 R5 in the Rally du Var in France.

The pair took the event, staged in the south of the country, by a minute in what was the final round of the French national championship.

The R5 triumphed against a field which included WRC-spec machines, giving the win even more credence.

Abbring started the final day with a 16s lead before stretching his margin at the finish.

“We came here to prove the competitiveness of the car, and an overall win is best way to do that,” Abbring said.

The victory comes only two months after the New Generation i20 R5’s debut at the Tour de Corse.

Orders for the i20 R5 are now filled well into next year.

Hyundai Finland have confirmed the first example to be sold into Scandinavia, while a car will also run in the Middle East in the hands of a privateer.