Hyundai advances towards Croatia Rally with ambition

With just one podium in two rallies this season, Hyundai is having a timid start to the championship, to say the least, before starting the Rally from Croatia next weekend. Certainly, there is nothing yet to sound the alarm from the Korean team but it is already playing big for this first pure asphalt meeting of the year. With only 47 points collected, including 32 for the only Thierry Neuville – third in the Swedish Rally – the two months of break must certainly have been put to good use internally. At least that is what we understand, based on the first statements.

The grip of Croatian asphalt at the heart of concerns

A few days before the third meeting of the season in Croatia, emotions seem shared within the different teams. Between the excitement of starting a rally as demanding as that of Zagreb and the unknown that the grip of its asphalt can bring. On the Hyundai side, the two months of break were apparently used to refine a car that is still difficult to understand, as suggested by Julien Moncet, the team's deputy director:

“The two-month break since Rally Sweden was helpful as it gave us time to regroup and reset before heading into the next phase of the season, he concedes. The podium we achieved with Thierry [Neuville] and Martijn [Wydaeghe] in the previous event was a positive step for us as we continue to familiarize ourselves with the new hybrid regulations.

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We are fortunate to have a great team at Alzenau who are working hard to improve our overall package. We want to be constantly competing for podiums and victories throughout the season. Our goal is to continue the momentum of our recent progress and achieve a positive result on the paved roads of Croatia. »

Precisely, tar. This is the unknown of this new race weekend where the drivers had difficulty finding their feet last year. This is what also makes this rally so interesting, captivating for spectators and actors alike.

“It’s a very difficult event because the grip is quite low and the profile of the special stages is very demanding, specifies Thierry Neuville, second in the championship. There are lots of blind turns, crests, jumps and cuts, and the roads can be quite dirty and very narrow. Last year we were lucky with the weather and the conditions were quite dry, but it was still quite cold. »

“The tarmac there is very different, it looks good but the grip is very low, partage Ott Tanak, whose observation is in complete agreement with that of his teammate […] It was a big job to handle in 2021, but we expect it to be a lot more fun this year, now that we have experience and know what to expect from the event. »

All that remains is to convert its great promises into points for Hyundai, which is heading towards the Croatia Rally with the obligation to achieve a big result.