The early-season results have been lacklustre, allowing arch-rival Toyota to pull away with a 51-point lead. Poor results certainly don’t help, especially as the company’s senior motorsport leadership continues to assess whether the brand will remain in the WRC beyond this season.
Although rumours have long swirled around Hyundai’s WRC team, team principal Cyril Abiteboul wants to focus attention on the upcoming WRC round. This week’s Rally Portugal kicks off a run of seven gravel events in the WRC calendar.
The previous event in the Canary Islands was a complete disaster for Hyundai, as Toyota secured a clean sweep of the top four positions.
“We are looking to turn the page on a disappointing last round as we go to compete at Rally de Portugal. It’s the second gravel round of the season, and although it is a completely different kind of profile to Kenya, we have demonstrated that we have the pace to perform well on this surface,” Abiteboul says.
“The team has a lot of experience in Portugal and I know that everyone will push hard to claim a solid result at the end of the weekend.”
If Hyundai hopes to stay in contention for the manufacturers’ title, the Korean squad will need to start delivering at least double podiums – and soon. Toyota drivers have won all four WRC rounds so far this season.
“We need to continue apply pressure across the championships and close the gap to Toyota. Securing another strong finish is key, but we’re aiming for a full team result that puts us back in the championship fight,” Abiteboul tells.
Rally Portugal gets under way on Thursday morning with the shakedown stage. The competitive action includes 24 special stages, covering nearly 345 kilometres, and the rally concludes on Sunday.
