Hyundai Motorsport is focused on delivering a positive performance at Rally Finland 01.08.2022: ... the fifth consecutive gravel round on the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar • The team claimed a double podium at the event in 2021, a feat it will be aiming to repeat this year

... the fifth consecutive gravel round on the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar





•    The team claimed a double podium at the event in 2021, a feat it will be aiming to repeat this year


•    Taking control of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 in the Finnish forests will be Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe, Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja and Oliver Solberg /Elliott Edmondson.
 



Hyundai Motorsport journeys to Rally Finland, round eight of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with its sights set on the podium positions.
 


The event is a favourite of crews and spectators alike, with the high-speed gravel roads boasting plenty of grip, as well as a variety of eye-catching jumps and crests.



Although similar in style to the previous round – Rally Estonia – the stages in Finland are faster and set amongst stunning forest scenery. The Nordic nation is also steeped in WRC history and is one of the few countries that has been scheduled to host a WRC event every year since the championship’s inaugural season in 1973.
 


Although not traditionally one its strongest rallies, the Alzenau-based team performed competitively at the event in 2021, achieving a double podium finish. The strong result was led by Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja, who will be hoping to demonstrate more progress after their third place in Estonia last time out.
 


The duo will be joined on the demanding stages by Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson, the same two crews that competed in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 at Rally Estonia.


The Belgians were unable to join their teammates on the podium in Finland last year, however they had been showing strong pace before suffering an unusual and unfortunate issue on the second day of running.



For Solberg it will be his first time competing at the event in the WRC category, although the Swede is familiar with the roads having contested Rally Finland in the WRC2 class.
 


The gruelling event itinerary begins on Thursday evening with the 3.48km Harju stage. The Friday schedule is far more extensive, consisting of nine stages that have a combined distance of 124.91km.



Saturday’s special stage distance is even greater, with the day’s eight stages totalling 150.30km. Rally Finland then draws to a close on Sunday with a final four stages, including the 11.12km-long Ruuhimäki Power Stage.
 




Deputy Team Director Julien Moncet said: “Although Finland was not an event we had traditionally performed well at previously, we were able to get two crews on the podium last year and that was a great achievement for us. It is our hope that we can do the same at this year’s rally, if not do even better. Estonia was good preparation for us as it is a similar type of event.



The gap between Estonia and Finland has been very short so we must manage our expectations slightly, however we will still push to the limit. All three crews have shown that they can be fast on the gravel over the course of the season so far, therefore we are confident they can produce a strong result for the team.





Thomas Villette, Nicoletta Russo - photo Hyundai