Hyundai Buoyed For 2018 Title Push

Firm says Australia form can spark a chase for the crown

- David Evans

Hyundai fired a warning shot across the bows of its World Rally Championship rivals with a dominant performance at last week’s Rally Australia.

The Korean squad was never headed in New South Wales with first Andreas Mikkelsen and then Thierry Neuville leading the final round of this year’s championship. The combination of those two drivers will, the team feels, be enough to push it to the front of the 2018 title race.

Mikkelsen started Rally Australia chasing back-to-back wins down under, but his day-one advantage was undone when he was forced out after suffering two punctures in the Newry stage on Saturday morning. Going into that test, Neuville was 15 seconds behind his team-mate and in the perfect place to pick up the lead when the Norwegian’s i20 Coupe WRC faltered.

Hyundai team principal Michel Nandan said the Coffs Harbour performance demonstrated the intentions for next season.