introduced new concepts and a “breath of recent air” to Hyundai amid its ongoing battle to seek out solutions for its efficiency struggles within the World Rally Championship, in keeping with crew boss Andrew Wheatley.
Struggles extracting constant velocity from the i20 N Rally1, which has a slender working window, left Hyundai firmly on the backfoot this yr in its battle with Toyota. claimed after final weekend’s Rally Islas Canarias that “no person is aware of” the reply to the crew’s points with its automobile.
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Final weekend marked Sordo’s first Rally1 begin for 19 months after ending second at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece in 2024. It was additionally his first asphalt outing since Rally Japan in 2023.
The WRC veteran had thought his days in Rally1 might need been over after being on the WRC sidelines final yr as his focus switched to keeping off to win the Portuguese nationwide rally championship.
Now with a deal to share Hyundai’s third automobile in 2026, the three-time WRC rally winner rapidly adjusted to life again in Rally1 on the Spanish Island – ending Friday’s leg as the highest Hyundai driver in sixth. The 42-year-old was unable to copy that velocity by way of the remaining levels, however banked strong factors and completed the rally in seventh.
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Sordo’s contribution to the crew stretched far past merely impressing within the levels, because the skilled driver was in a position to supply up new concepts for the crew to discover in its quest to shut the hole to Toyota.
Daniel Sordo, Candido Carrera, Hyundai World Rally Workforce Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Daniel Sordo, Candido Carrera, Hyundai World Rally Workforce Hyundai i20 N Rally1
“He [Dani] has been nice. Dani has been a breath of recent air for the crew,” mentioned Wheatley.
“He has barely totally different concepts to strive on the arrange and he’s obtained a very tremendous clean environment friendly driving model, and he introduced a smile to each assembly.
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“He began the rally at full velocity and that’s precisely what we want once we come to Portugal and Greece is that breath of recent air and that tremendous fired up Dani. He has accomplished the job that every one the third drivers have accomplished this yr, which has actually helped us to attempt to enhance as a lot as we will.
“One of many massive positives from this weekend is that Dani has had a full rally to study the automobile and the crew, his technicians and his engineers, and get again to what the WRC is about, and he can actually contribute and assist us for Portugal.”
It was clear from Sordo’s enthusiasm throughout stage finish interviews simply how a lot he loved driving a Rally1 automobile even when Hyundai struggled to take the battle to Toyota. And now his focus turns to a different outing subsequent week in Portugal, the place he has completed on the rostrum seven instances.
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“For certain, we loved it. We have been anticipating it will be tough right here and in the beginning we had somewhat bit extra expectation, however on the finish it was tough,” mentioned Sordo.
“Now it’s accomplished and we have to consider options for the crew for Japan, however we must be targeted on Portugal.
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“The rally usually and being again within the Rally1 class on these levels was tremendous good. We struggled a bit with the automobile, and it was very tough to battle the Toyotas.
“Between the three Hyundais, it was a pleasant battle however, in the long run, we don’t need to simply battle ourselves. We may have beginning place in Portugal, so we hope to be aggressive there and we’ll see what occurs.”
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