The 41-year-old driver last competed in Sardinia at the beginning of June, where he secured an impressive third place. This is only the third WRC event this year for the experienced Spaniard, who also finished fifth in Portugal.
Sordo is particularly known as a specialist in technical and rough gravel rallies. He has won twice in Sardinia and has finished on the podium in Greece in each of the past two seasons.
“I have a lot of confidence heading to Acropolis Rally; we got some valuable time in the car during the pre-event test and I have done well here in the past,” Sordo reflects.
Very hot weather is expected in Greece. The special stages are also known for deteriorating significantly, especially on the second pass.
“The heat and the road conditions can massively affect our performance, so our setup needs to be different to how we have run at previous rough gravel events,” Sordo summarises.
“A higher car is crucial to surviving the stages and avoiding an early retirement by hitting a large rock or a hidden rut – or both.”
It is possible that this could be Sordo’s last appearance in a top-class car at the Acropolis Rally. Hyundai’s WRC team has indicated that they want three full-time drivers for the 2025 season. This could mean that Sordo, who has been a part-time driver since 2017, might be sidelined.
For the next round in Chile, it is likely that Esapekka Lappi will take the third Hyundai seat. The Central European tarmac round, meanwhile, seems suited for Andreas Mikkelsen, as the Norwegian has competed on all tarmac rounds this season. Japan could potentially be Sordo’s final outing with Hyundai, but that remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that Hyundai expects another top performance from their veteran. The Korean manufacturer gained a significant lead in the manufacturers’ standings after the Finnish round at the beginning of August, and they are not ready to relinquish their position. For their main competitor, Toyota, to snatch the title away from Hyundai, it would require a complete collapse from the Korean manufacturer in the remaining rounds of the season.
“All three championships are tight, so I know we need to do whatever we can to help the team, and we are hoping for the best finish possible in Greece,” Sordo remarks.
