Whatshot
Hyundai 1st and 3rd on podium in Rally de España.
Hyundai 1st and 3rd on podium in Rally de España.
Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe enjoyed a near perfect weekend in the all-tarmac rally to confirm their second win of the season, with team-mates Dani Sordo and Cándido Carrera in third – their first podium as a crew and Sordo’s second of the year.
The 1-3 finish repeats the team’s result in the last iteration of Rally de España that took place on mixed surface roads in 2019. Hyundai Motorsport asserted its authority this year by taking 14 stage wins out of a possible 17 across three days of action – 10 for Neuville and 4 for Sordo.
The Spanish crew were in dominant form during the final morning of the rally, winning all four stages – two runs through Santa Marina (SS14/SS16, 9,10 km) and Riudecanyes (SS15/SS17, 16,35 km). The duo had been involved in an exhilarating third place battle with Sébastien Ogier for much of the rally and got the upper hand when it counted, leapfrogging the Frenchman on Sunday’s opening stage.
Next rally
Rally Monza, the 12th and final round of the 2021 championship, will take place in Italy from 19 to 21 November. Hyundai Motorsport secured a double podium finish at the Italian round in 2020 with Ott Tänak and Dani Sordo in second and third places respectively.