Safari Rally Kenya added to Sordo’s WRC programme

The team’s plans for its third car for the remainder of the WRC season are yet to be determined following the tragic passing of Craig Breen, who had been sharing the entry with Sordo this season.

Veteran Sordo had been announced to pilot the third i20 N for Portugal two weeks ago, where he finished second, before Breen’s death in a Croatia testing accident in April.

The South Korean marque has however confirmed that Sordo won’t contest all of the remaining rallies on the calendar, but has selected the 40-year-old for next week’s round in Sardinia (1-4 June), with the following round in Kenya (22-25 June) now added to his programme.

Sordo wasn’t selected to take part in Kenya last year as Oliver Solberg piloted the third car in one of his eight outings, before the team elected to part ways with the driver before the end of the season.

Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul told Autosport in Portugal that the process to complete its driver line-up is ongoing, with the squad looking to the long term with its decision.

Dani Sordo, Candido Carrera, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

Abiteboul has hinted that a younger driver is perhaps the team’s preferred candidate which has sparked suggestions that WRC2 champion Emil Lindholm is among the contenders for the drive.

"One thing that I can confirm is that Dani will not be doing all of the rallies and our line-up will be announced in due course and is in the process of being built," said Abiteboul.

"We are looking into it but it is too early to make a particular announcement. The only thing I can say is that we are not just looking into this year we are looking at where we want to be next year and the year after that.

"I don't want to see the exercise that we have to do in a very unfortunate circumstance as a gap filling exercise. I want to see that as a strategic decision for the team and for the company.

"We have got hope and expectation to be here for the long term, that is why we can only look at this question of driver line-up for the remainder of this season with the perspective of a long-term impact on the team.”