Hyundai WRT

[AnttiL]

I think Neuville Lappi Breen fuel season and Sordo Suninen sharing 1 car.

That's one car too much.

[240RS]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/breen...yundai-return/

This has to be classed as a shock move!

Thierry does struggle on the high speed gravel (Estonia, Finland), but you can't really see why Hyundai would want to go after a driver without a single world rally win for such a plum seat. He has been average at best all season, and am even being a touch kind. At this stage someone should just handover the manufacturers title for 2023 to the only real contender!!!!

[wyler]

This has to be classed as a shock move!

Thierry does struggle on the high speed gravel (Estonia, Finland), but you can't really see why Hyundai would want to go after a driver without a single world rally win for such a plum seat. He has been average at best all season, and am even being a touch kind. At this stage someone should just handover the manufacturers title for 2023 to the only real contender!!!!

why not? Average is what they need! Breen has shown his comfort zone is behind the top tier driver, not among them. and that's what is supposed to do. part-time 3rd driver. According to plans, he's just a backup when the other two pick up troubles. if not, he's supposed to be behind them...

[WRCStan]

Has anything official come from Hyundai or Sordo himself that he's staying on? Lots of assumptions going on when officially he was retiring.

[Rallyest]

Has anything official come from Hyundai or Sordo himself that he's staying on? Lots of assumptions going on when officially he was retiring.

Was it Dirtfish, but somewhere was talk about Sordo doing 8 rallies next year, i guess people took it from there

[AnttiL]

I think it was Marca or other Spanish magazine reporting about eight rallies. Also fits with what Mikkelsen said about being offered six rallies.

[mknight]

I think it was Marca or other Spanish magazine reporting about eight rallies. Also fits with what Mikkelsen said about being offered six rallies.

But that was before Lappi came in.

I quite doubt 8 rallies are on the table for Sordo now.

[Rallyest]

But that was before Lappi came in.

I quite doubt 8 rallies are on the table for Sordo now.

How would Lappi change Sordo's Options, Lappi takes Tänaks seat, It shouldnt alter Sordo, only thing altering it who will be sharing a car with him and what rallies is that guy strong on

[mknight]

How would Lappi change Sordo's Options, Lappi takes Tänaks seat, It shouldnt alter Sordo, only thing altering it who will be sharing a car with him and what rallies is that guy strong on

Before Lappi the likely combination was Sordo 8, Mikkelsen 6+ and a combination of Suninen, Breen and maybe Meeke with 4+ starts each. Moncet basically even said as much in interviews.

Provided Lappi does full season, Sordo is definitely not the best candidate out of those 4 for all 8 rallies. His speed this season has been a huge drop from WRC cars and there does not seem to be any magic improvement (no matter what Colin Clark writes about one stage time in Spain).
On slippery tarmac (Monte, Japan) and slippery gravel I would rate basically all the 3 drivers above Sordo. Similarly on rough gravel all 3 have decent records.

But it can come down to what kind of risk you want. Sordo is now slow, but doesn't crash, so you know what you are getting.

All the others have their own specific unknowns (Breen terrible recent record, Suninen mixed recent record and no Rally1 experience, Mikkelsen no Rally1 experience and longer period outside top category).

Also depends what instructions is Lappi getting. Whether he is instructed to go for it or to keep it steady behind Neuville. Also Suninen bringing Joukhis money can be a factor.

[AnttiL]

For sure I would keep Sordo. Experience from the car and experience from rallies. For example Lappi hasn't been to Safari or Japan. You could put Breen and Suninen in the same car but they have the same favourable rallies (and similar crash risk). Meanwhile, either of them makes a perfect pair for Sordo.

I understood Mikkelsen is out of the game and Meeke seems like only British rumors, it cannot make any sense.

Also, I doubt Lappi would go to Hyundai for anything else than a full season.