Hyundai WRT

Good solid line up for Hyundai and putting partisan wishes aside for you guys in Norway/Finland that your boys didnt get the gig it makes sense. Who honestly like Breen hasnt started a new job and then found out that the workplace isnt quite what they expected and things didnt work out? Some people aren't born lead guitarists and are happy to play in the rythmn section with the occasional solo and Craig is one of those people. Yes he was going to be enthusiastic about a full season who wouldnt be but is allowed to change his tune. As for Sordo he's a safe pair of hands so that was logical. Biggest pressure is on Lappi but could be what he needs to shine away from the pressure (again) of a Finnish run team. I have a sneaking suspicion that Hyundai might just have the year in '23 they have been looking for.

Having a third car shared between Breen and Sordo is a real plus for them. Will probably be the strongest third car in the field - Taka is a nice guy and a decent driver, but Breen and Sordo should be getting podiums on the regular and Taka will probably be lucky to get a couple. Ogier's performances could be key for the manufacturer title fight.

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Originally Posted by bandit12

Well... What will Suninen do now?

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wait until Breen gets kicked out (after Sweden) an than join Sordo in shard 3rd Car...

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Originally Posted by WRC1

wait until Breen gets kicked out (after Sweden) an than join Sordo in shard 3rd Car...

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Jeez did he steal your dinner money at school? Having said that with Hyundai's current reputation you never know..

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Originally Posted by mknight

- Neuville's wish list before Japan was Evans, Mikkelsen,Sordo. He got one of them. Which brings me to DF commenting this was the best they could get...nope, they should have tried hard to get Evans.

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"Neuville decides who drives at Hyundai" lol

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Originally Posted by Sal yet again

Jeez did he steal your dinner money at school? Having said that with Hyundai's current reputation you never know..

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MSport actually has most recent history of dropping drivers mid season:
2022 MSport Fourmaux NZ (and also Japan and Greece, but with excuses)
2021 MSport Suninen Greece+

Hyundai is 2020 Loeb Sweden and before that 2019 Mikkelsen Portugal, but both of them did drive rallies for them later that year. Suninen did not, Fourmaux got Catalunya then got dropped again.

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Originally Posted by focus206

"Neuville decides who drives at Hyundai" lol

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Partisan crowd will be partisan.

Lappi was without the doubt the best available 2nd driver and Breen was doing great in Hyundai before, so not a big surprise he was selected.

The i20 seems to be good now and with this line-up it will be impossible for Toyota to dominate Manufacturer´s Championship like this year. If Evans is not able to drive much better next year there will be two Hyundais on the podium almost all the time and now there is a lot of pressure for Katsuta to deliver results. Sordo and Breen are faster than him, but Ogier is faster than Hyundai 3rd driver, so it will be interesting battle.

Shame for Suninen and Mikkelsen, but at least they have some job to do.

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Originally Posted by rp

Lappi was without the doubt the best available 2nd driver and Breen was doing great in Hyundai before, so not a big surprise he was selected.

The i20 seems to be good now and with this line-up it will be impossible for Toyota to dominate Manufacturer´s Championship like this year. If Evans is not able to drive much better next year there will be two Hyundais on the podium almost all the time and now there is a lot of pressure for Katsuta to deliver results. Sordo and Breen are faster than him, but Ogier is faster than Hyundai 3rd driver, so it will be interesting battle.

Shame for Suninen and Mikkelsen, but at least they have some job to do.

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Lappi was no match for Rovanpera on gravel. And certainly wouldn't be expected to top Ogier on tarmac. Evans is generally accepted to hold the edge on Esapekka. Which means Hyundai got the fourth best driver from Toyota. My drift: It will be a minor miracle if the South Korean manufacturer were to win the makes title in 2023.

As for the Breen/Sordo car, how will they be expected to be significant players when the first 5 positions can only be obtained via misfortunes/problems for others???

Andrea Adamo Reviews Hyundai’s 2022 WRC Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYsiP85ZkFI