Hyundai Motorsport customers off to superb start in Fafe 21.03.2023: i20 N Rally2 customers made a superb start to the season at the Rally Serras de Fafe (March 10-12), which brought the FIA European Rally Championship and Portuguese national championship together.

i20 N Rally2 customers made a superb start to the season at the Rally Serras de Fafe (March 10-12), which brought the FIA European Rally Championship and Portuguese national championship together.



A total of nine Hyundai Motorsport customers started the event, including Customer Racing Junior Drivers Fabrizio Zaldivar and Josh McErlean, WRC driver Craig Breen – starting his season with Team Hyundai Portugal in the national series – and Hayden Paddon, aiming for ERC success in a car prepared by BRC Racing Team.


 
It was Breen’s Hyundai Portugal-supported team-mate Ricardo Teodósio who won the Friday night Super Special Stage. The following morning Breen moved to the front after taking two stage wins, only to drop back down the order after suffering punctures on SS7.


 
Breen’s issue left Paddon as the best placed of the i20 N Rally2 drivers – he and co-driver John Kennard starting the final day of the contest with the quickest time through SS10 while they held third spot overall.


The Kiwi pair held a podium position throughout the day and moved up to second in the middle of the final loop of the rally. Continuing their push, they kept the pressure on the overall leader and were in position to take the win on the final stage when their rivals suffered a puncture.



 
Paddon and Kennard were part of a 1-2-3 on the Power Stage for i20 N Rally2 crews, between stage winner Breen and Georg Linnamäe in third. The stage time, together with the late problems for other crews lifted the Estonian and co-driver James Morgan up to third overall after a strong, consistent weekend maintained that their great start to the season.
 


Having fallen as low as 20th overall after their flat tyres, Breen and co-driver James Fulton rebounded superbly up the standings to claim sixth position on the final stage and take victory for the national championship event. Teodósio added even further to an amazing weekend, completing the podium for the Portuguese championship.
 


McErlean finished 19th overall, while Zaldivar was forced to retire on Sunday morning while holding a top ten position.


 

 
Andy Stobart, James Broomhead- photos Hyundai