Hyundai WRC driver Thierry Neuville eyes World Rallycross outing

Neuville, who was an interested spectator at the Belgian round of the World RX series last week, had intended to race Frode Holte's Hyundai i20 Supercar at the event.

But a planned test at the Mettet track was cancelled after the Norwegian-built machine suffered an engine failure at the AUTOSPORT World RX of Great Britain in May.

The Hyundai has subsequently struggled for pace and is yet to make a World RX semi-final.

"There was some testing planned at Mettet a few months ago, but the engine in the car was broken after Lydden Hill, so we were not able to," said Neuville, who is currently sixth in the WRC standings and finished on the podium at the last event in Poland.

"I wanted to be sure the car would be competitive before I raced it, so we couldn't take that risk."

While disappointed not to be racing, Neuville was impressed by World RX's progress during his Mettet visit.

"I had a look around the teams and they are professional," he said.

"You can see progression in the championship from the past when I followed the European rallycross championship, it looks different and more interesting.

"I really wanted to race this year, and we are going to watch out for this event next year.

"There are some possibilities for another race this season too but I am quite occupied with my WRC programme at the moment, I do not have a lot of free time."

Neuville has previous experience of a rallycross Supercar as he drove Ken Block's M-Sport built Ford Fiesta while driving for the squad in the WRC.

"I really enjoyed that," Neuville said of the Ford test.

"The cars are really powerful, that's why I really wanted to be racing [at Mettet], to spend my free time in one of these very powerful cars and have some fun but it will have to be another time."