Hyundai is guaranteed to win the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title if Monza doesn’t happen. That’s led to rumors team boss Andrea Adamo would be happy to see the finale called off.
Is that the case? David Evans put the speculation to Adamo – and got a very Adamo response…
Every now and then a classic quote lands on the page. In a podcast. You don’t forget them. How can you? You can’t predict when they’re going to arrive. Unless that is, you take the short scroll through the phone to Adamo, Andrea. Then you know you need to listen hard and taken in what you’re going to be told. It’s gold.
Talking to Hyundai Motorsport’s team principal, I mentioned the speculation I’d heard that he was working – very quietly – to undermine Monza Rally. Bringing the season to a close would favor two people. Adamo’s one of them, Elfyn Evans the other. In an instant, each would be a world champion.
I’d like to think I’ve never shied away from asking tough questions. That’s certainly true with Andrea. He relishes and revels in a combative argument. Forget his line about being a poor Italian immigrant living in Germany, he’s one of the most well-read, intelligent people I know.
Point out that he’s a busy man and he comes back with Galileo Galilei on the sun still managing to ripen a bunch of grapes even though it’s busy with all those planets revolving around it.
Photo: André Lavadinho
I digress.
“I cannot read the future,” Adamo told DirtFish, no doubt surprising some folk. “All I can do is watch and the situation I watch is not nice.
“Last year we went to Australia for the final round and we all knew it would be impossible, but we went anyway. Sometimes you have to face the reality and understand what is possible. What other people are saying about me? I don’t care. If they think we want the championship done by six rallies then they are free to say what they think. It’s like [José] Mourinho says…”
Does it get better than this? We’re getting the special one via an even more special one.
“… I hear the voices of my enemies and I like what I hear.”
But what about Monza?
“I focus on my job. I don’t push nothing and maybe people need to remember what a big supporter we have always been of Monza.
“Sometimes, my friend, the mother of the idiot is always pregnant.”
I challenge anybody to dismiss debate with such style.
