The Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT team is confused about what is causing the two hybrid power issues for Ott Tänak during the two Friday loops despite changing the unit.
Tänak couldn´t use his hybrid system as he was left with either intermittent hybrid boost or nothing at all during the two opening stages of RallyRACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada on Friday morning, which resulted in the team having to change the General Dynamics unit during the midday service.
Then again the Estonian lost the hybrid system on the afternoon loop during stage eight which also cost him valuable time but he is still managing to hold on to fourth as his teammate Dani Sordo is almost a minute back after the Spaniard caught up with a puncture during stage seven.
Hyundai´s deputy team principal Julien Moncet explained the situation about the hybrid issues to Motorsport.com when he was asked what causing it: “That is a good question. It is not really clear what has happened with the first one this morning and I think Compact Dynamics is still looking at the data to understand it. The one from this afternoon we don’t know as the car has only just arrived. We will have to check the data, and maybe it is the same thing, but maybe it is another problem, I don’t know.”
Tänak also commented about the problems when he was asked by Dirtfish.com: “It’s not bad luck for sure, it seems to be a similar issue to what we had this morning, so probably there needs to be something which is causing it. The guys need to find out what is the issue. This exact case, I’m not sure if it’s outside from the team’s [control]. I don’t actually know why it’s happening; there must be some reason why it’s coming. We need to learn a bit.”
