Hyundai boss promises better season

In its debut season at rallying's highest level the Korean manufacturer only finished in the points twice, with veteran Kenneth Eriksson finishing fifth in New Zealand and fourth in Australia. The team was joint last in the manufacturers' championship, but the results hid the fact that in terms of sheer pace, the Accent WRC was often a match for much more established machinery.

"I think we were doing not too bad in our first year compared to some, for what was quite a large programme with the resource that we had, and next year I think we'll make another leap forward," said Whitehead, head of the Motorsport Developments team that runs the Hyundai Accents WRCs. "We hadn't come in to this year hoping or expecting to be winning. We had hoped we'd get a third and we didn't quite achieve that. Next year, I think we'll take another step forward."

Former Subaru and SEAT driver Piero Liatti joins Hyundai for 2001. The Italian will drive the second Accent alongside Alister McRae on the Monte Carlo Rally, an event he won in 1997. Whitehead said that his new recruit was already impressed with the team's progress.

"We've got so much going on with the new car, with engine development, all of which is looking very, very positive. Liatti has tried the car already and he was quite encouraged by what he tried," he said.