This time, Lindholm took the wheel of the i20 N Rally1 car during Rally Japan, offering rides to Hyundai’s guests. After his duties in Japan, the Finnish driver was flown to San Francisco in the United States to continue promotional work for the Korean manufacturer.
Lindholm had a similar role in Japan last year, but this time he drove a full-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car. He gave VIP guests a thrilling experience on the Toyota Stadium super special stage (2.15 km), which was run three times during the rally.
Hyundai’s Japanese media partners and influencers were among those who got to enjoy the ride.
“It’s maybe one of the most tricky things in rallying once you are in this kind of situation. Still it has been quite under control since yesterday morning. We had a puncture yesterday, which was a bit unfortunate, but then after that it has been really trouble free run and quite consistent speed for from us,” Lindholm said in a statement, laughing.
“In this sport, you don’t often get to practice on such spectator-friendly stages with a rally car, so now I have some practical experience from Rally Japan’s super special stage. Having a proper machine like the Rally1 car at my disposal is always beneficial. With the strict testing regulations, every kilometre in a Rally1 car is incredibly valuable,” Lindholm added.
Lindholm’s global travels didn’t end in Japan, as he quickly moved on to San Francisco.
“I’ll be giving rides to Hyundai’s important guests there as well, over two days. This time, I’ll be driving a fully electric car built for competition, with proper suspension and wheel setups. It will surely be an interesting experience. From San Francisco, I’ll fly to Germany and then back home. In just over a week, I’ll have travelled around the world,” he explained.
Plans for Lindholm’s 2024 season are still under discussion. Decisions will come once the factory drivers still without contracts finalise their plans.
“We’re working hard to secure next season. It’s crucial to compete in as many rallies as possible and also do plenty of testing. We’re continuously working towards a solid calendar for next year,” Lindholm concluded.
