Autosportfoto

Hyundai's fresh start in Sweden

After a miserable opening to its 2018 WRC campaign at Rallye Monte-Carlo, Hyundai shell mobis World Rally Team is preparing for a fresh start at next week's second round Rally Sweden [15 - 18 february].

Thierry Neuville was Hyundai's best finisher in a lowly fifth place at Rallye Monte-Carlo, and the South Korean squad is ranked last in the manufacturers' standings after all three of its drivers hit problems in the French Alps a fortnight ago.

Before the WRC moves onto snowy Scandinavian stages, Hyundai boss Michel Nandan urged his team to work hard to get its title challenges back on track.

"We want to put the disappointment of Monte-Carlo quickly behind us, and effectively start our 2018 season in Sweden," he said.

"One thing was clear from the first rally of the new season - we can take nothing for granted. We are not going to be gifted good results; we will have to work for them. We aim to do just that at Rally Sweden."

The team will rely on three crews to deliver a better result. Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen will again lead the challenge, while Hayden Paddon returns to take over the third car from Dani Sordo .

All three have podium form in Sweden, and Neuville was on course to win last year's edition before a disaster on Saturday's final test, when he ripped a wheel from his car in the short special stage at Karlstad trotting track.

All three crews prepared for the event with a three-day test in Kall, Sweden from 30 January to 1 February. Fresh snowfall made for ideal conditions with temperatures expected to remain sub-zero for the rally.

Zdroj: wrc.com