Sordo also in the Canaries as his first outing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
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Sordo also in the Canaries as his first outing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Compare to the Toyota, they have a junior support (Pajari, later Solberg and TGR WRC Challenge Program), so in this case like Rovanpera leave, they can use Solberg to fill an empty seat. Hyundai is using same names to fill empty space. This is not a futureproof solutionQuote:
Originally Posted by flat_right
There is nothing to compare, Hyundai doesn't have a Junior program at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by tbazsi95
I'll ask my question again - what would have been your driver decision in this situation? It's really easy to critique...
Congratulations to toyota on becoming 2026 world champions.
Maybe Hyundai wants to set a record and let toyota win every rally next year.
Good news for Paddon and he'll be back in the WRC ready for 2027 (in the i20 Rally2 he's developed).
They aren't sure about staying for some time, so for 2026 they had to stay with drivers with experience of the Rally1 car.Quote:
Originally Posted by tbazsi95
If a decision is made for staying long-term then they can plan with junior drivers.
Congrats for Paddon, Sordo and of course Lappi. If they will win manufacturers title and just maybe drivers again, Ott will scratch his head.
This team never learns
Clown masks on again
What's wrong with you, what do you want them to do? Hiring Gryazin to destroy all of their cars?Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
I am very glad about Paddon. Those who remember, he came into WRC through the same Pirelli Star Drive as Tanak. He did not deserve to be dropped by Hyundai first time.
Others - Hyundai goes all in, Team Championship or bust.
Unknown - how those 3 old foxes will be able handle that car.
thanks for asking, im fine and nothing is wrong with me. its my opinion and yours is yoursQuote:
Originally Posted by CeskyOndra
they already tried this sharing tactics last year and failed, a guy is sitting at home for 2 months, then comes to the event with just one test day under his belt, then goes home again to skip some events and let the other driver to do the same circle. no wonder the results wont come. we saw last year with Mikkelsen who on every event came to speed by saturday after lunch time or by Sunday.
they already did a mistake by putting Paddon for Monte but i guess they had no other choices cause Sordo and Lappi hate that event.
like i said, this is my opinion
I'm actually a bit surprised about Paddon, since I never believe he will be back, since how they treat him being so loayl to the brand, but not vice versa. I also don't like this sharing thing at all, but those three are capable having good results and scoring good amount for the team. Sordo was there when they got their only 2 manufacturer titles (he actually take good amount of credit for that)... Rooted that he could do whole season or at least ''Ogier campaign like'', not just three events. Lappi did score them a win last year, so he is a good choice. Well Paddon bring the brand various Rally2 titles and have a win back in 2016 in a straight Ogier vs. him battle. So that counts too. Of course it will not be straight exchange to Tanak, but tey are trying. Let's hope, it will not be disaster like this year.
Yes. And rossel and sesks.Quote:
Originally Posted by CeskyOndra
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
But i assume they just want to get through 2026 and will walk away for 2027.
Those who say that Hyundai is not learning from their past mistakes by choosing those 3 drivers, I'd like to know what would have been the better solution? Was there a better driver (combo) available that would deliver?
Still I wouldn´t call them clowns. As you don´t know a thing what they´ll do for testing coming season, for example.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Glad to see Paddon back, no too big hopes but still.
This trio helps wrc+ with pretty good stage end interviews also.
Lappi has Sweden win and Sordo some podiums also with this car so let's see..
7+7 events between Lappi and Sordo would probably have been a better choice. With this solution the gaps between rallies might be a bit too long to get up to speed right from the start.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
I never understood why Hyundaï isn't trying to do for young local drivers like Toyota: aren't there any promising talented south korean drivers for the job :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by tbazsi95
Yes I was also expecting something like that, two drivers sharing and one of them Sordo.Quote:
Originally Posted by trykmann
Sharing with 3 is a surprise.
Paddon is a surprise.
Paddon on Monte sounds like insanity.
Hope for both parts that he gets proper preparation before and not only a short dry one day test.
Edit: Actually the approach they do with Paddon for Monte will hint at how serious this is. If he does not get proper preparation it will point to this beeing just the cheapest possible temporary fill-in for 2026 before giving up completely.
I love Paddon, Lappi and Sordo and I CANT WAIT for the '27 rules where these 3 fellas have more chances of doing more races with actual chances of winning - but for 26, If I were Hyundai, I'd just hire Sesks. The kid always shows he KNOWS what hes doing, he just need more experience. Thats it. For me it would be a simple decision. Sesks, full time.
Such a shame to have a potential WRC star being left out for another season. Hope he can destroy everybody in 27 on the R5
Full season for one driver to get the confidence and speed and knowledge with the carQuote:
Originally Posted by flat_right
having them all do all events would be the sensible solution.Quote:
Originally Posted by trykmann
There is a probability that the deal with Paddon is with look in future; if H exits, Paddon could run their semi-works team, similar to M-Sport, and similar Solberg is dreaming/working on.
Sordo and Lappi are no surprise, Paddon is for me. That said, I am sure they are looking to keep the 3rd car low down the starting order as possible to maximise chances, hence the 3rd driver to stop anyone scoring too many points to move up the order. Even Canaries and Japan won’t punish that on tarmac.
Paddon in for Monte is on the face of it an odd choice, but I suspect it is because as others have said, Sordo hates it, and Lappi will be in Sweden and they want him down the start order there.
I hope Paddon gets a few good runs and some redemption.
South Korea have a huge rally community and national series?!?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
I really hope that this indicates Sesks will be at M-Sport for next season.Quote:
Originally Posted by giu canbera
i don't understand many of the criticisms i read here. it looks to me very far from reality when speaking about a 3rd drive. i would not put a youngster in a 3rd car that has to bring reliable points. i would want a steady driver to cover from p6/5 or better when others hitting troubles. in that frame, their choice is fair (at least, good for me). they already have a promising young driver and an expert in the top 2 drives. neuville should be reliable, fourmaux is a bit more risky, then they need a steady 3rd car for points. how can they think about gryazin - never been in rally1 and worst result than paddon - or sesk -unproven on tarmac, fast but not consistent yet-. they need people finishing rally and collecting points. they took 2 expert rally1 driver, and the most consistent rally2 driver in europe of the last 2/3 years. looks not bad to me.
Yes, all three are "oldies", but I'm glad they all got some outing on the last season of the era. No point in sharing the points before the season starts. I don't have too high hopes for their results, but I hope they are doing well. Paddon and Sordo have been so long time loyal to the brand, that they deserve the seat with their experience and speed. And as Lappi goes with Enni Mälkonen, then I hope Lappi can win an event, and it happens before Pajari wins an event - then Enni can have a win before Pajari. (if you are not aware for some reason, Enni was Pajari's co-driver and together they got the WRC2 title, and then Pajari chose another co-driver).
Special congrats to all Kiwis - you waited for the impossible, and it came.
We don´t know anything yet. So could still not be called clowns.Quote:
Originally Posted by trykmann
You need to go with more than three cars. Toyota used car #4 and #5 for experiments. Maybe also #6 (?). (Katsuta is still an experiment counted in, you could say)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
Hyundai can't aim for manu title with a youngster learning the "difficult" Hyundai. That's no-sense.
Lappi and Sordo are great drivers, but none of them can be the fastest on tarmac. So why not going for Paddon.
First and last time they tried... not goodQuote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/129279-chewon-lim/
Solberg won his only rally in a rc1 car.Quote:
Originally Posted by CeskyOndra
You never know.
Whoever they chose that wouldn't be a surprise. Hyundai couldn't even complete when having Neuville, Tanak and Fourmaux in the 3rd car.Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
Not complete failure. Co-driver of that fella actually did help and won driver and co-driver title.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Was his 14th round or smth and he did previous 13 rounds with Hyundai with no results.Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
Abiteboul explains why it went wrong for them in 2025:
"We spent a winter finally working on this new car. And we did not work on three new elements that appeared: the end of the hybrid, the change of tyres and the change of fuel. All our efforts, our focus, our test days and our jokers went into this new car and not into these three elements, which changed things quite a lot and penalised us in the end. We arrived in Monte Carlo not at all prepared for how the Hankooks work on tarmac because we had been working on other things”
https://rallyjournal.com/a-big-speac...t-badly-wrong/
A strategy matter then...Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Hyundai seems operate as individual and not as a team - Tom Fowler...
To me it looks like they are never ready. Always there is excuses. Always something. How could they not even considerate of doing work on fuel, tyres and power without hybrid... I think that they lost all motivation even before they start the 2025 season.