This weekend sees possibly the most anticipated world Rally championship season in years kick off, with the conventional late January check out to the Monte Carlo stages.
The withdrawal of the all-conquering VW team and its star chauffeur Sebastien Ogier’s relocation to Ford, along with new technical rules, the return of Citroen and the arrival of new producer Toyota have all combined to seemingly level the playing field for 2017.
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VW’s absence and improvements shown by Hyundai have made the South Koreans pre-season favourites for many. The brand’s motorsport president G.H. Choi was very clear at the new i20 WRC launch before Christmas, saying “our learning is done, now we objective to win the championship”.
Hyundai’s chauffeur line-up of Belgian Thierry Neuville, Kiwi Hayden Paddon and Spaniard Dani Sordo is unchanged – continuity that all three welcome. “Stability is always positive – we know we’re able to put a lot of pressure on the other teams, so it’ll be to our advantage,” Neuville told car express when we spoke at the launch.
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In common with many drivers, Neuville expects the new guidelines to make the cars faster, but not necessarily much more dramatic to watch, as some fans have hoped.
“It’ll be quicker and much more fun, yes, but whether it’ll be much more spectacular from the outside, I don’t know,” he said. “Everything is better: the brakes, aero, stability and engine power.”