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I wonder whether Hyundai might consider going back to a rotation system for third driver. There isn't a stand out candidate like Fourmaux for them this year, since Solberg looks very Toyota. They could find out for real whether (say) Gryazin and Sesks get along with their car.
We all totally forgot about Suninen. He is still young and have Rally1 experience (and previous WRC generations aswell), 3 podiums clocked on his belt and he didn't do that bad in i20 Rally1 car.
I was gonna mention him but wasnt sure what he's doing now. Everything you said was in my mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
I would have agreed but I feel that ship has sailed now.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
So they have this candidates that comply to youth and experience (if we consider Rally1 cars and previous WRC ones):
-Andreas Mikkelsen - 36 years old -> 3 rally wins, 25 podiums, 117 stage wins, drive or 3 top tier teams
-Esapekka Lappi - 34 years old -> 2 rally wins, 15 podiums, 77 stage wins, drive for 4 top tier teams
-Oliver Solberg - 24 years old -> 1 rally win, 1 podium, 9 stage wins, drive for 2 top tier teams
-Takamoto Katsuta - 32 years old -> 7 podiums, 54 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Teemu Suninen - 31 years old -> 3 podiums, 15 stage wins, drive for 2 top tier teams
-Sami Pajari - 23 years old -> 1 podium, 5 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Pierre-Louis Loubet - 28 years old -> 4 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Gregoire Munster - 26 years old -> 2 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Martins Sesks - 26 years old -> 2 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Gus Greensmith - 28 years old -> 2 stage wins, drive for 1 top tier team
-Josh McErlean - 26 years old -> 1 stage win, drive for 1 top tier team
-Jari Huttunen - 31 years old -> 1 stage win, drive for 1 top tier team
And 3 extra ones, but only Sordo have Rally1 experience.
-Dani Sordo - 42 years old -> 3 rally wins, 58 podiums, 229 stage wins, drive for 4 top tier teams
-Kris Meeke - 46 years old -> 5 rally wins, 13 podiums, 94 stage wins, drive for 3 top tier teams
-Hayden Paddon - 38 years old -> 1 rally win, 8 podiums, 38 stage wins, drive for 2 top tier teams
Katsutas and Lappis stage wins make for an unexpected comparison
Solberg (Toyota), Katsuta (Toyota or nothing), Pajari (Toyota), Loubet (already drove Hyundai, too slow), Munster (too slow), Greensmith (too slow), McErlean (too slow) and Huttunen (inactive since 2023) have 0% chance or reason to be at Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
I think Hyundai will go for youth driver + experience driver alternating... they could also not bother with a 3rd car, but I imagine they will, at least part season.
I will edit it tomorrow when the official Toyota driver line up will come out. Also I made it from "best to worst". And add those 3 extra, who are connected to Hyundai. My personal favorite is Paddon, but I think he will not be even considered, because it's Hyundai we are talking about.Quote:
Originally Posted by focus206
paddon. 100%.
At least now there's clarity and Hyundai is aiming for a third driver still, phew.
https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...-up-/10775315/
Bit of a free hit I suppose. It’s the last year of Rally1 so it’s not like they would prepare a young guy for the future, but they may want to take a flyer on someone like Gryazin who could be quick or they could go with the tried and tested options who have some experience of the car like Sordo/Mikkelsen.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobJones
I’m sure without Tanak, their championship expectations have been somewhat revised.
So the pool look like this.
Youth & experience (Rally1+WRC):
-Mikkelsen
-Lappi
-Suninen
-Loubet
-Munster
-Sesks
-Greensmith
-McErlean
-Huttunen
Experience (Rally1+WRC):
-Sordo
Experience (only WRC):
-Meeke
-Paddon
Youth:
-Rossel
-Gryazin
-and all others
They will probably just take Mikkelsen back.
Why would they bring back some old guys, who haven't driven quite a long time and know they can't set top times with hyundai..
Out of that list maybe Rossel and bulgarian guy Gryazin would bring some new air to the team and show decent results as they are top5 wrc2 drivers at the moment..
Why would they? It's pretty clear 2026 is gonna be their final season. No incentive to build someone up. Maybe if some sponsorship is involved,they may be happy to offset some costs.
For young divers, there can be quite a dilemma - why should they join a retiring team for a year and lower their chances to be part of WRC2027 car developments and be part of a team that plans to be part of the championship 2027 onwards? At the same time, if you say "no" to this opportunity, there is no guarantee that you will get a new one.
So I would say it is not that attractive for youngsters (compared to Toyota), but it can be okeish solution for already retired guys "to do one last mission".
Possible because of Neuville. But the fact is, Mikkelsen didn't really bring anything to table in 2024. Lappi at least got good setups for Neuville for high-speed gravel rallies to help him win the championship. But Lappi is now (at least in Finland) Skoda's new face for the public, so I do not think that Lappi will go even part time for Hyundai. Mikkelsen did two (!!) rallies this year. Don't think Hyundai wants him either, should have done more this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
My guess is something fresh, like Cachón or Armstrong (with the help of their respective Auto federations).
i'd go for sesk (gravel + rally2 tarmac) + sordo
full sesk would also do, keeping it steady on tarmac as the other two are good enough on tarmac.
full paddon as a steady second option. the point is how much you trust in the reliability of fourmeaux. if he can manage less crashes you can go with sesk speed, if u need more consistency you go for a steady paddon.
That is what I am thinking too.Quote:
Originally Posted by wyler
what about brandon semenuk? we dont pay much attention in the american series but this fella looks to be a good one
no experience of the wrc context, very hard to go for the points in a top team. would need a year - at least- of adaptation in a wrc2/2nd team...Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
He has almost no Rally2 experience, nobody would consider him for Rally1. There are plenty of national series heroes around the world that are nowhere on international level. He would be welcome in WRC2 though.Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
Sordo never got a WRC farewell rally, he would deserve at least one in 2026 (if he cares about it).
This comment makes little sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by TypeR
The three 2024 Hyundai drivers all won stages, led a rally and got a win and two podiums. In sum they got more points than Fourmaux this season from same number of events and the results are better as well (win, second and third vs third places). Competition is not exactly same this year as last, but it's the only way to compare and the most recent too.
For Paddon he did set top times in WRC Hyundai, but not Rally1. For Meeke we don't know if he can set top times in Hyundai.
The american championship is "village" level.Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
Semenuk participated at Finish rally and was very fast among the locals.
Source please?Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
What Hyundai's biggest mistake this year is that they didn't bring fourth car to the table and just talk about it constantly. You just can't compete against 5/6 rival cars with 3 and not expecting some of those 3 will not hit the troubles in that fragile car. You just can't. I know it's partly also Toyota a little devil here who keep expanding their lineup, when obviously both other teams isn't capable of running extra cars (I'm mocking out of Hyundai's budget here and taking out M-Sport out of context).Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
… with Thierry and Adrien, I think we’ve got two drivers now that are able to be consistently on the podium.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRCStan
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/hyund...-out-for-2026/
Would love to see Gryazin in Rally1! I think he is capable of driving the top machinery and he is quite an unique driver, which could fit with i20n perfectly.
Maybe not.... (Suninen)Quote:
Originally Posted by becher
https://yle.fi/a/74-20193232?utm_sou...ent=ralliradio
The interweb is suggesting that the Russian rallying with a Bulgarian licence is the lead candidate to take the 3rd Hyundai seat in 2026. Seen that on several well connected websites already.
My guess is Sordo doing some events (especially now that Portuguese info is saying that he won't run in Portugal again) and some other "young" driver sharing the car. Suninen looks like to be in good position, but I would say that Lindholm should also be included there. Even though he haven't started a rally with the Rally1, he was Hyundai driver up until last year, driving in some tests and shaking down cars before events.Quote:
Originally Posted by focus206
Sordo and Jon Armstrong would be a great option IMO. Yes I am biased but Jon has the speed and youth on his side.
He did very well in the ERC this season with an aging Fiesta. He is talented.
Sordo is a safe pair of hands which Hyundai will need to start competing again with Toyota.
I agree about Sordo and Lindholm. Emil didn't do great with Skoda this year, but Hyundai might be willing to give him a chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Co-driven
I see Suninen hasn't done a single rally in 2025, I would be surprised if he gets picked.
As it's Hyundai i'll rephrase that for you " I wouldn't be surprised if he gets picked"Quote:
Originally Posted by focus206
I root for Suninen.
Found that strange. The PR bomb potential is immense. Just look at the comments under Dirtfish article. On more practical terms he was not even allowed to enter the race in Estonia few years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sal yet again
Are Hyundai willing to risk that for a guy that has won zero WRC2 races this year and has not managed to fight for title in his 6(?) seasons there? No title in ERC either.
In Hyundi I would rather put caliber like Sordo, Lappi, Mikkelsen, Paddon, Suninen, those who worked previously with the team and are all proven. Gryazin should be driving for M-Sport alongside Sesks/McErlean (or Rossel, if he isn't already in Lancia)
May Armstrong race for M-sport Rally1 next year? An irish duo?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jewy46
Can I throw Miko Marczyk's name in?