Hyundai Motorsport will be starting their 2022 WRC2 campaign in the FIA World Rally Championship when the round four takes place at the Rallye de Portugal on 19-22 May.
For third year in a row, the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 cars will be operated by the Estonian outfit Red Grey with support by the Korean automotive manufacturer. The team is run by the WRC factory driver Ott Tänak and fellow former Estonian WRC driver Markko Märtin.
After leaving M-Sport Ford World Rally Team last year after a tough period within the team, the Finn Teemu Suninen alongside co-driver Mikko Markkula will return and pilot one of the cars. Suninen made his debut for the team in Spain where he finished second in WRC2 class and he was given an opportunity to drive the Hyundai i20 WRC at the season-finale in Monza – where he placed sixth overall.
“I am very excited to team up with Hyundai Motorsport again and contend a full WRC2 season with the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Mikko and I have already had a small taste of what to expect with our outing in Rally de España last year, where we finished second. For me, the opportunity to take part in regular testing and play a role in the development of the car was the reason why this was an attractive offer for this year. I have the potential to not only create a competitive rallying package, but also grow as a driver with the support of the teams in Estonia and Alzenau.” Suninen said.
Newcomer for the team this season as Oliver Solberg have been promoted to the WRC factory team is the Paraguayan talent Fabrizio Zaldivar and will have the Spaniard Carlos del Barrio as his co-driver.
The last two seasons Zaldivar have been working with Hyundai as he drove a Hyundai i20 R5 in the local championship and now it will be a full-scale Hyundai investment both at home and in the WRC2 class.
This is the most important moment in my career so far. Joining a manufacturer and having access to a wealth of support and experience is every driver’s dream. My goal is to perform consistently in every rally; it will take some time to get up to speed with the car, but I want to create a forward momentum that will see me improve throughout the season. I’ve competed with the Hyundai i20 R5 for the past two seasons in Paraguay, winning a title last year, so I hope to have similar success with the Hyundai i20 N Rally2.” Zaldivar said.
