Hyundai WRT

[racerx1979]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but does anyone know if Loeb is doing Sardinia?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...en-for-corsica

[mknight]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...en-for-corsica

Well his statement is 100% right. On paper, based on recent tarmac results Neuville, Loeb and Sordo are the best choices.

Only argument that could be made is that in Monte Loeb and Mikkelsen had same speed. But Monte s not typical tarmac rally and Loeb came there straight from Dakar. So in Corsica Loeb is a "risky" choice while Sordo is backup.

The interesting part is that the article indirectly says they wont have any new upgrades for Corsica. That's one extra reason not to run Mikkelsen, since he struggles with the tarmac car as is and I don't think trying to change driving style is likely to help much. On the other hand it doesn't bode well for their chances on scoring good points.

-------------------------

On a small sidenote this is another David Evans article with factual errors. Which is something that happens in just about every third article he writes. Here he writes Mikkelsen is still waiting for his first podium with Hyundai. Maybe he wanted to write "this year", but the way it's written it's wrong. Sloppy work for a guy that has this as his main job

[AnttiL]

Neuville, Mikkelsen and Sordo confirmed for Argentina.

http://www.rallyargentina.com/hyunda...argentina-2019

Speculation: they all do Chile as well as they are paired events? Then Loeb steps in for Sordo for Portugal and Sardegna, another pair (plus Sordo already rallied at Fafe)?

[rallyfiend]

Neuville, Mikkelsen and Sordo confirmed for Argentina.

http://www.rallyargentina.com/hyunda...argentina-2019

Speculation: they all do Chile as well as they are paired events? Then Loeb steps in for Sordo for Portugal and Sardegna, another pair (plus Sordo already rallied at Fafe)?

The chassis and key components are paired. I don't think the drivers are.

Chassis and parts are linked to the team, rather than the driver, no?

[AnttiL]

Well, key parts like diffs can be very personally set up by the drivers. But speculation...

Other news: updates coming for Finland https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...ght-wrc-rivals

[EstWRC]

hmmmm, isnt it late? dont they usually have some kind of bigger update around Mexico and then second in the second part of the season?

Like Toyota last year, big update for Argentina and then for Finland.

[tomhlord]

"The development for the July homologation and the development for next year’s car. That’s what I’m working on.”

The current i20 will be six-years-old in 2020 - I suspect the WRC team will have an all-new model introduced sometime next season.

[mknight]

hmmmm, isnt it late? dont they usually have some kind of bigger update around Mexico and then second in the second part of the season?

Like Toyota last year, big update for Argentina and then for Finland.

Depends on how you look at it, remember they introduced new engine at end of 2018/beginning of 2019 and both in 2017 and 2018 they were very good on the events that make up the first half of the season and then quite bad in the second half.

For 2019:

- It means Corsica is a write-off and they will likely be around 4-6 place on pure speed, doesn't mean they can't get a decent result if other cars hit issues or weather plays a role (like Germany last year where Neuville ended 2nd while being 4th-5th based on speed).

- Argentina wasn't very good last year, but the engine might help
- Chile is an unknown, but it looks like mid-speed gravel rally so should be okish
- in Portugal and Sardinia they were probably the fastest car last year and looking at Turkey it might not have changed that much

- Finland has always been a disaster so they need all the upgrades they can get, same with Germany and Spain based on last years performance

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Hyundai clearly missed their best chances in 2017 & 2018 when their car was one of the fastest.

By the time they get the car upgraded the 2019 Championships will probably be gone...