Hyundai Motorsport wants to continue rushing its chances of winning the WRC drivers’, co-drivers’ and constructors’ titles. The brand will look for a new victory in the New Zealand Rally and a bad event by Toyota.
Hyundai Motorsport travels into new territory next weekend for his first Rally New Zealand. The eleventh round of the 2022 WRC season is a major challenge, although it is true that the South Korean manufacturer arrives at its best moment of the season. Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak and Oliver Solberg will be the Hyundai drivers in Kiwi territory.
In addition to take all three podium places in Greece, victory at the previous round was the third successive win for the Alzenau-based team, first for Thierry Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe. Team crews will battle it out in New Zealand for add a new triumph and extend the streak of the formation.
Ott Tänak has to prevent Kalle Rovanperä from taking eight points from him to keep the World Cup alive
Thierry Neuville has achieved his first victory with the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 and he arrives with his batteries charged in New Zealand, a stage that he has always admired: “New Zealand is an event that I have always dreamed of when I was a child. I grew up watching idols like Colin McRae or Carlos Sainz there. It always seemed to me the rally with the most beautiful landscape in the WRC».
«I was lucky enough to compete there in 2012 and it was an amazing event with very nice and interesting stages. The roads are very loose in the first pass, but offer plenty of grip in the second pass. You need to have a very precise and stable car. It is difficult to prepare for such an event, but we will do our best to achieve a good result” added Neuville.
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Ott Tänak: The Pursuer
Estonian Ott Tanak He also arrives in a good moment of form, with the aim of cutting points from Kalle Rovanperä and lengthening the resolution of the title: «I competed in Rally New Zealand ten years ago and I have very good memories of the test. I really want to go back there. I’ve been watching videos to refresh my memory and the trails are fantastic. They have a lot of lean, a big positive camber and they seem made for rallies».
“As it is an appointment far from Europe, we have not been able to carry out tests in sections that are similar. This means that it will be difficult to get the right settings. We will have to do our best to learn at shakedown and adjust the car as we go. Hopefully we can get 100% out of the car and achieve a good result» has ensured a Tänak who is looking for his fifth consecutive podium.
Oliver Solberg: needs improvement
If Dani Sordo counts every appearance with the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 for a podium, Oliver Solberg he cannot say the same and he needs to show his true potential: «It is the first time that I am going to participate in Rally New Zealand, so I am very excited for this adventure that lies ahead. The roads look amazing and the whole event seems to be very beautiful.».
“We don’t know what to expect on the stages, but hopefully we can catch up quickly and find a good balance. The season has been a roller coaster for us, but our last rally was good. We finished fourth in Belgium. The goal is to keep learning and pushing. Hopefully we can get a good result for the team” concluded the Swede.
Photos: hyundai motorsport