There are very strict testing restrictions in the World Rally Championship, but a loophole in the regulations allows teams to compete in national rallies without it being counted as an official test day.
Often, a test rally provides a better opportunity for a driver to prepare and test in proper competition conditions. Among WRC teams, Hyundai in particular has frequently appeared in smaller events in recent years, although Toyota has also increasingly used national rallies in its preparations.
Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville took part in the Rally Sierra Morena in Spain to test Hyundai’s Rally1 car ahead of the Rally Islas Canarias. Last weekend, his team-mate Adrien Fourmaux had the chance to compete in a round of the Portuguese rally series, held in the same region where the next WRC round will take place in less than two weeks.
Many have wondered why Hyundai’s Estonian star Ott Tänak has not yet taken part in a test rally this season. Fourmaux shed light on the matter before his own outing.
“This rally was part of our early-season planning: Thierry was set for a tarmac rally before the Canaries, I’m doing this ahead of a run of technical gravel events, and Ott will have a gravel outing later on,” Fourmaux explained in an interview with the French website rallye-sport.fr.
“Personally, I prefer to compete in an actual rally like this weekend rather than do a test day. The surface evolves between stages, and you’re immediately in the competition mindset with a full rally day. Even in terms of pace note work, it’s much more valuable.”
Last year, Tänak participated in one test rally in his home country of Estonia before Rally Latvia. That event ended in a major crash. It is possible that this year too, Tänak’s test rally could come ahead of the high-speed summer gravel rounds in Estonia and Finland.
Hyundai’s performance in the asphalt round at Rally Islas Canarias just over a week ago was a complete disappointment. The Hyundai drivers struggled with the car’s setup and fell well short of podium contention. In contrast, their main rival Toyota sealed a remarkable 1-2-3-4 finish.
It is clear that Hyundai will need a much stronger showing at the upcoming gravel round in Portugal.
“We don’t have a choice – whether it’s for me or for Hyundai, we have to step up and show something. In Sweden, this gravel set-up worked well for me, so normally, things should go well,” Fourmaux said.
Rally Portugal will be held from 15 to 18 May.
