Whatshot
Hyundai returns to winning ways in Rally Italia Sardegna
Hyundai returns to winning ways in Rally Italia Sardegna
Hyundai Motorsport claimed a dominant victory and double podium finish in Rally Italia Sardegna, round five of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with Ott Tanak and Martin Jarveoja scoring the team's first win with the Hyundai i20 N Rallyl car.
Demonstrating the resilience of the entire team and its persistent attitude, this victory provides a timely motivational boost for the Alzenau-based squad, as well as revitalising its championship ambitions.
Tanak put in a masterful performance to win his first WRC event since the Arctic Rally Finland 16 months ago by a margin of over one minute. The Estonian crew amassed 9 stage wins over the course of the weekend, including the 300th in Tanak's WRC career, scored on Sunday morning's opening test.
Dani Sardo and Candido Carrera picked up in Sardinia where they left off in Rally de Portugal, by scoring a podium finish in only their second event with the new car. The Spaniards enjoyed a troublefree run through Sunday's four stages, which included two passes of Cala Flu mini (SS 18/SS20, 12,55 km) and Sassari-Argentiera (SSI 9/SS21, 7,10 km), to finish the rally in third place. It is their fourth podium in a row, when counting their third places in Spain and Monza late last season.
Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe returned on the final day after a frustrating weekend, which was hampered by a transmission issue on Friday. The Belgians went out fighting with their second fastest time of the weekend in SS19, and a big push in SS21 to take maximum Power Stage points. It was a fitting way for Neuville to claim his 300th career stage win.
All three crews scored fastest times in RaUy Italia Sardegna: three for Neuville, two for Sardo and nine for Tanak, notwithstanding the notional fastest time for Sardo and Tanak, alongside two other drivers in Saturday's red-flag affected run through Monte Lerno. Only four of the contested stages were not won by a Hyundai Motorsport crew this weekend, representing the team's most emphatic performance to date in this event, which has delivered so much success over the years.
The 1-3 result marks Hyundai Motorsport's fifth victory in Sardinia in the past seven years and its third double podium over the past four seasons. It is the team's 21st WRC victory in total, and Tanak's third since joining the squad at a venue where he claimed his debut WRC win in 2017.
Hyundai Motorsport also closed the gap in the manufacturers' championship to 39 points, while Tanak has moved up to third behind Neuville in the drivers' classification.
The next round on the calendar, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is the Safari Rally Kenya, which will take place from 23 to 26 June.