Just a few days after the end of the Rally Corsica, the WRC is back in action. Hyundai and Citroën, and their respective lead drivers, have travelled to Portugal in order to get their vehicles ready for the upcoming rally.

Next week they will be joined by another two WRC teams; Toyota and M-Sport. The French island event was the last race on asphalt until the end of August. The gravel takes nowcentre stage for the next five races of the season.

Goodbye asphalt, hello gravel

This change of surface requires an extra period of adaptation. Drivers must get used to the feeling and sensations of the gravel, a very different element than the snow or asphalt from the previous dates (Rally Monte Carlo, Sweden & Mexico of the season.  This is why Hyundai and Citroën, current leaders in the Drivers and Constructors’ standings, have devised an intense training program in Portuguese lands.

Hyundai, new leaders, on fire

Hyundai Motorsport, the new leaders in the standings thanks to the victory of Thierry Neuville in the last Rally, have chosen the Baiao area for their training. Dani Sordo was the first to get behind the controls of the i20 Coupé WRC.

 

The Spaniard, together with Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen, are the South Korean squad hoping to conquer Argentina. After Sordo, it was the turn of his teammates to climb onto the Alzenau’s missile. These training sessions have a short- and long-term importance for the teams judging by the participation of the most successful rally driver in history. 

 

Hyundai Motorsport has taken Portugal as a laboratory to develop its vehicles. They do not want to lose their lead again.

Citroën wants to assault the throne

 Images: YouTube.