The harsh reality is that the performance of Hyundai’s Rally2 car is currently far behind that of its competitors. The car was supposed to receive updates in the spring, but according to RallyJournal.com, the opposite happened. According to rumours, Lindholm and Suninen have had to compete with used parts in the WRC2 class of the World Rally Championship.
The results have been equally harsh. Suninen has competed in four WRC rallies but hasn’t scored a single point. Depending on the interpretation, three out of four rallies have ended in retirement due to technical faults.
Lindholm hasn’t fared much better. Of the four WRC rallies, one ended in retirement due to a technical fault and another due to an off-road excursion. In Sweden, Lindholm finished seventh in his class and eighth in Croatia.
“It would be fun to fight for positions, but it might be difficult to compete this weekend. We’ll do our best and see where it gets us,” said Lindholm to RallyJournal.com already at the Rally Latvia a couple of weeks ago.
Lindholm’s prediction holds true for Jyväskylä as well. There’s no chance against Skoda and Toyota, nor Citroën. Even M-Sport Ford has surpassed them with their Rally2 car.
“It’s true that the same work has to be done regardless of the situation. We just have to stay positive, look forward, and hope that it will turn around someday,” Lindholm remains hopeful.
“Personally, I benefit from getting the kilometres in. Maybe we just need to focus on the positive sides.”
Neither of the Finns can publicly state their true thoughts. In the rally world, you have to be careful with your words, and even if the car is terrible, you can’t throw your employer under the bus.
“The roads are beautiful. It would be nice to drive here if the performance was there,” Suninen remarked in Latvia.
This is also the situation in the upcoming Rally Finland. It’s the highlight of the season, but dreaming of top results is pointless. Like Lindholm, Suninen tries to find some positivity in a difficult situation.
“Rallying is still fun. You can enjoy being behind the wheel, but it’s a dark moment when you see the results on the board at the end of the stages,” Suninen summarises.
“You have to focus only on your own performance. If you fall behind by 15 seconds and try to push even harder, situations and mistakes will occur. After that, the gap will be even bigger.”
