Hyundai WRT

[EstWRC]

And out of those Thierry won 3 times, Tänak twice and Sordo once right? In what? 22, now will be 23 rallies. I really hope they manage to turn it around, if not for this year then at least for 2023.

Correct. Tomorrow it will be another Toyota win, which is already 3rd this season.

Hyundai drivers won 3 rallies last year all together and none so far this season

[Eli]

Correct. Tomorrow it will be another Toyota win, which is already 3rd this season.

Hyundai drivers won 3 rallies last year all together and none so far this season

I really hope they can get back on winning ways at least for Estonia/Finland/Ypres/Spain, I don't care who wins in that i20N Rally1, I just hope they do.

[focus206]

One part of me wishes they would get 0 wins this year, they deserve nothing as the least reliable manufacturer of the lot yet again.
But I know this would probably make them quit, rather than push them to do better, so it's better that they do win something.
But Neuville and Tanak deserve much more.

[Danny0405]

Clearly worrying performance from them here.
Until Croatia, we knew it would be difficult but we could expect some improvements with the gravel series. Clearly, it might be really difficult for the rest of the season and we can be worried about their future.

[Danny0405]

I see a lot of people (not particularly here) talking about what Neuville and Tanak should do and some evoking Toyota.
Personnally, if the situation stays like this until the end of the season, Iwould be Toyota’s boss, I would never take the risk to hire Neuville and Tanak. I have the next big thing in my hand + Evans still under contract for next year so I wouldn’t risk the relation with Kalle. And if Toyota has learned from WEC, they should see that it is better to have controlled competition than being overdominant.
On the contrary, I would try, as soon as next year, to give a 7-round program (at least) to a young talented driver to develop the new Sordo or Hirvonen.

For sure, for M-Sport, the situation is not the same: but I’m not sure M-Sport has the money (salary + car development) to convince a big driver to come even if Hyundai stops. Maybe next year (as there are still competitive in the second year normally) but after that...

[Eli]

I see a lot of people (not particularly here) talking about what Neuville and Tanak should do and some evoking Toyota.
Personnally, if the situation stays like this until the end of the season, Iwould be Toyota’s boss, I would never take the risk to hire Neuville and Tanak. I have the next big thing in my hand + Evans still under contract for next year so I wouldn’t risk the relation with Kalle. And if Toyota has learned from WEC, they should see that it is better to have controlled competition than being overdominant.
On the contrary, I would try, as soon as next year, to give a 7-round program (at least) to a young talented driver to develop the new Sordo or Hirvonen.

For sure, for M-Sport, the situation is not the same: but I’m not sure M-Sport has the money (salary + car development) to convince a big driver to come even if Hyundai stops. Maybe next year (as there are still competitive in the second year normally) but after that...

As you said, if I were Toyota I'd probably keep my lineup as it is and wouldn't ruin the (seemingly good) dynamic they have between their drivers with bringing in either Ott or Neuville. On the other side of the coin what do you do if you're Neuville & Ott and can barely get a win this season? Join M-Sport for a price cut but in return get a (seemingly) better car? Leave & retire while they still have their dignity left? and if Hyundai for now at least do decide to stay for a couple of seasons, and both Neuville & Tänak or at the very least Tänak retires, who do they replace him with? So many questions and that's even before we get to the most important one, how do they change the tide?

[EstWRC]

Watched an short interview with Tänak on Estonian media and he seems quite down

Says he didn’t expect more result wise before the rally because there was only one test day and he didn’t get the feeling from there and the same continued during the rally . There are things on the car which are hard to get used to and against his instinct to drive fast.

The guy then says that you had the chance to help to develop this car and Ott says there wasn’t basically any development cause they got the car ready only just before monte and had only two tests and the team is in difficult situation with the whole structure thing at the moment.

They can’t do much before Sardegna either cause the gap is so short.

[Gordini]

Is hyundai running operation on save-mode?
test important.

[Danny0405]

Little trivia statistics: with his podium in Portugal, Sordo ties Solberg and Neuville for 10th position for of ranking of drivers with most WRC podiums (52).

Next in line is Auriol (9th with 53).
8th is Alen (56); not possible for Sordo this year as he should have only 3 more rounds; hope Neuville catches it (if not, it would be a very bad year for him).

Loeb 1st (120), Sainz 2nd (97), Ogier 3rd (92)

[Danny0405]

Watched an short interview with Tänak on Estonian media and he seems quite down

Says he didn’t expect more result wise before the rally because there was only one test day and he didn’t get the feeling from there and the same continued during the rally . There are things on the car which are hard to get used to and against his instinct to drive fast.

The guy then says that you had the chance to help to develop this car and Ott says there wasn’t basically any development cause they got the car ready only just before monte and had only two tests and the team is in difficult situation with the whole structure thing at the moment.

They can’t do much before Sardegna either cause the gap is so short.

Quite worrying indeed.
The only positive is that the car is fast when it has no reliability issue.
I don’t know if there are changes with the joker regulations compared with 2017 but Toyota transformed a not-really reliable car (2017) in the best car in class in 2 years (2019) so it might be possible. The question is about Hyundai will to make the investment needed and to wait to catch up.