Hyundai Motorsport completed a gruelling Safari Rally Kenya in fifth place 26.06.2022: ...after a disappointing weekend failed to deliver on the team’s pre-event expectations • Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe claimed a top-five result and maximum Power Stage points, while Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson finished tenth after more dra

...after a disappointing weekend failed to deliver on the team’s pre-event expectations

•    Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe claimed a top-five result and maximum Power Stage points, while Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson finished tenth after more drama on Sunday


•    Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja led a Hyundai 1-2 in SS16, the rehearsal of the Hell’s Gate Power Stage, but were forced to retire with power steering issues after SS17 (Oserian 2).
 



Hyundai Motorsport has completed Safari Rally Kenya, round six of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with a fifth-place finish after a hugely disappointing weekend for the team.
 


Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe were the highest placed of the three crews, taking away a top-five result and maximum points from the Power Stage, which was little consolation in an event that had promised much more. The harsh and unforgiving conditions of the Safari Rally with its notorious fesh-fesh and rocky, rough terrain denied the hard efforts of team, despite early hopes of a podium push.
 


Six stages featured on the final day, a repeat loop of Oserian (SS14/SS17, 17.93km), Narasha (SS15/SS18, 13.30km) and Hell’s Gate (SS16/SS19, 10.53km), the latter as the rally-ending Power Stage. It was far from a trouble-free final day for Hyundai Motorsport with Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja retiring after the second pass through Oserian with a power steering issue.
 


The duo had hoped to salvage some points from the Power Stage. They had demonstrated their intent with a stage win in the first run of the aptly named Hell’s Gate, leading a Hyundai 1-2. Unfortunately, the opportunity would not arise as they were forced to stop their Hyundai i20 N Rally1 after completing SS17.
 


Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson, meanwhile, headed into Sunday in sixth place but experienced trouble on the opening test. The crew had to stop in a section of the stifling fesh-fesh, 2.1km into the stage, to replace a sand-clogged air filter. A similar issue occurred in the repeat stage, but they persevered to bring their car home, albeit down in tenth place – and with a special word of thanks to the team’s mechanics.
 


Neuville, who had retired on Saturday from a provisional podium place, was equally determined to challenge for Power Stage points, and achieved the full five on offer with a committed drive. For Hyundai Motorsport, the team will now regroup with intensity to review a frustrating weekend.
 



Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#11 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)


•    Fifth place for the Belgian crew after a hard-fought weekend of rallying


•    Taking maximum points from the Power Stage was the only consolation
 


Neuville said: “We have achieved the maximum we could. Taking fifth place after all the trouble and mess we have experienced can probably be called a satisfying result. It has been a tough and challenging weekend, and this morning was no exception.


Our focus was clearly on getting something from the Power Stage, which we managed at least. There’s not much more to say. The situation is obvious. I am really disappointed, not just for us but also for the mechanics, who have been working so hard, but like us don’t get the reward.”
 




Crew Notes: Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (#2 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)



•    A rollercoaster learning weekend as they battled through the Safari stages


•    Tenth place on the classification doesn’t reflect a tenacious effort from the crew
 



Solberg said: “On the positive side, it’s been a much better Safari Rally Kenya than I had last year. It’s still not the result we had hoped for, but that’s part of rallying. My thanks to all the mechanics, without whom we would not have been able to reach the end of this challenging event.


Nothing is possible if we don’t have their expertise and hard work, so very big thanks to them all. We know as a team we have a lot of work to do, but we’ll be flat out from here.”





 
Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)


•    Estonians took a stage win in the first pass of Hell’s Gate (SS16)


•    Power steering issues forced them to retire after SS17 (Oserian 2)
 


Tänak said: “This Safari Rally itself has been quite fun this year with some incredibly demanding conditions. From our side, we have had a very safe approach, not taking any risks. On the first day, things worked out quite well, but unfortunately on Saturday we had a transmission issue and today we have had a power steering problem.


 We can’t take any points from here, but it is what it is; we must learn from this and move forward. There are many things for the engineers to take away and I hope we’ll be in a better shape for Estonia.”
 




Deputy Team Director Julien Moncet said: “It goes without saying that we are very disappointed by the rally overall, and we are all a bit down by this result. This is motorsport: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We have identified a lot of issues this weekend, and we are already working on the solutions. On the positive side Thierry and Oliver both brought their cars to the finish.



Thierry took maximum points from the Power Stage, and Oliver showed us again his never-give-up spirit. Ott had good pace this morning, scoring a stage win, but had to retire after power steering issues. When we get back to the factory, we will have intense discussions and do all we can to come back stronger at the next event.”
 




Next rally


•    The next round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Estonia, takes place from July 14-17.
 


Final Overall Classification – Safari Rally Kenya
 
1    K. Rovanperä    J. Halttunen    Toyota GR Yaris Rally1    3:40:24.9
2    E. Evans    S. Martin    Toyota GR Yaris Rally1    +52.8
3    T. Katsuta    A. Johnston    Toyota GR Yaris Rally1    +1:42.7
4    S. Ogier    B. Veillas    Toyota GR Yaris Rally1    +2:10.3
5    T. Neuville     M. Wydaeghe    Hyundai i20 N Rally1    +10:40.9
6    C. Breen    P. Nagle    Ford Puma Rally1    +23:27.9
7    J. Serderidis    F. Miclotte    Ford Puma Rally1    +30:16.5
8    S. Loeb    I. Galmiche    Ford Puma Rally1    +32:12.6
9    K. Kajetanowicz    M. Szczepaniak    Škoda Fabia Evo    +35:37.6
10    O. Solberg    E. Edmondson    Hyundai i20 N Rally1    +37:36.6
 
 


2022 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings
After round 6
 
1    Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team    246
2    Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team    184
3    M-Sport Ford World Rally Team    144
4    Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team NG    68
 

 
2022 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers’ Standings
After round 6
 
1    K. Rovanperä    145
2    T. Neuville    80
3    O. Tänak    62
4    T. Katsuta    62
5    C. Breen    60
6    E. Evans    57
7    S. Loeb    35
8    S. Ogier    34
9    D. Sordo    34
10    G. Greensmith    28
11    P. Loubet    18
12    E. Lappi    17
13    A. Mikkelsen    12
14    O. Solberg    9
 
 
All results remain subject to official FIA confirmation




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