Hyundai Motorsport will drop Andreas Mikkelsen from its line-up for the Tour De Corse next month, with Sebastien Leob and Dani Sordo competing on the event alongside Thierry Neuville.
Despite at the start of the year announcing Mikkelsen would contest the full season with Neuville, the team have decided to change their line-up in a bid to score more manufacturer points on the tarmac event.
A statement released by the team said: “In a change to its original plans for the season, the team will call on its tarmac specialist crews in a bid to strengthen its chances in the tight, twisty and technical rally.”
“Hyundai Motorsport, currently second in the manufacturers’ championship after the first two rallies of the season, has reaffirmed its target of fighting for the title in 2019. The decision to adjust driver line-up is intended to help the team fight consistently at each round with multiple opportunities to score podium results.“
Norwegian Mikkelsen finished fourth on Rally Sweden last weekend and will enter the third round of the 2019 championship, Rally Mexico, as planned alongside Neuville and Sordo – The Spaniard will enter his first round of the season in the third i20 Coupe WRC with nine-time champion Loeb sitting out the event.
Rally Mexico takes place between March 7-10 with the change coming into force on the Tour De Corse three weeks later between March 28-31.
