Neuville: Hyundai has worked on its shortcomings on asphalt

Le Rally of Spain has the particularity of offering a mixed event with a first day on dirt and two stages on asphalt. This weekend may be difficult to manage for Thierry Neuville. Leader of the Championship with 7 points ahead of Sébastien Ogier (M-Sport), le Belge aura le désavantage (si le temps est sec) d’ouvrir la route la première journée avant d’entamer les spéciales sur le bitume où la i20 WRC could be in trouble.

“These last two rallies of the season are very important for us in the fight for the title, admits Thierry Neuville, whose best result in Catalonia is a 3rd place achieved in 2016. We lost ground in the last two events, but we remain in control and we are not going to give up the game. The first day on dirt will be key for the rest of the weekend and we will need to start strong. We know that we have had some deficiencies on the asphalt this season but we have worked on this and we hope to reap the rewards of this work. »

Hyundai Motorsport a organisé des essais sur les deux types de surfaces afin de préparer au mieux son équipe à relever le défi. Le constructeur coréen se retrouve en chasse de son rival japonais avec 20 unités de retard.

“There is no margin for errors in Spain if we want to reduce our delay in the Manufacturers’ Championship, adds Team Principal Michel Nandan. We still have the chance of achieving our objective when Australia arrives. We have seen that anything can happen in the WRC this season, but we also know that the level of commitment will have to be high. We will do our best to help Thierry in the Championship, whether it is the engineers, the mechanics or the other crews. It is a privilege to be at the heart of such a struggle. »

It will also be an opportunity for Dani Sordo to get back behind the wheel of the i20 WRC on home soil after having been absent since the Rally Germany last August.

“It’s one of the most important rallies of the year for me, confirms the local star. Nothing can replace the feeling of riding at home. The atmosphere is fantastic from the first special to the Power Stage. I haven't ridden on dirt since Portugal, which has been a while, and the start will be difficult despite the advantageous position on the road. We know that the car is competitive on soft ground and we will benefit from developments planned for asphalt. I hope to be more competitive there than in Germany. »