Dani Sordo could have three World Rally Championship events left in a Hyundai. Or two… maybe one… perhaps even none!
Hyundai Motorsport president and team principal Cyril Abiteboul was hardly conclusive in his answering, but his overarching point was clear.
Sordo’s program with Hyundai Portugal to drive an i20 N Rally2 in the Portuguese national championship does not automatically mean his Rally1 career is over.
“No, that doesn’t mean that,” Abiteboul told DirtFish, “but equally I’m not saying anything else. Step by step, step by step.
“The first thing that we wanted to announce with Dani is that he’s doing this program. By doing this program he’s still part of the Hyundai family. And let’s see, when you are part of the family, there is always, you know, opportunities for more. But we’ll talk about those opportunities in due course.”
The deal that will see Sordo take on his old rival and good friend Kris Meeke in Portugal was announced last week, just before the start of the second WRC round in Sweden.
Hyundai's Cyril Abiteboul (right) has refused to close the door on Sordo's top-level career
Hyundai has shifted strategy for 2025, running a full-time driver (Adrien Fourmaux) in its third car alongside world champions Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak.
When Fourmaux’s program was revealed, Hyundai left the door open for its 2024 part-timers Sordo, Esapekka Lappi and Andreas Mikkelsen to remain with the squad in some capacity.
But Lappi has since committed to a Finnish championship program in a Rally2 Škoda, Mikkelsen is working on his own Rally2 plans while Sordo has this program in Portugal.
That does however keep him within Hyundai’s fold, although Abiteboul told DirtFish after the Monte Carlo Rally in January that the team’s focus was on its three full-time drivers – not any part-time entrants.
Sordo joined team-mates Neuville and Tänak in Hyundai 1-2-3 on last WRC appearance in Greece
Sordo has been with Hyundai ever since it rejoined the WRC in 2014, but has been a part-time driver ever since 2018.
His last WRC appearance to-date was the Acropolis Rally in September, where he finished second as part of a Hyundai 1-2-3. Will he have the opportunity for a WRC swansong – a farewell drive?
“One last, two last, three last or zero last… we’ll see, we’ll find out,” Abiteboul said.
“He’s part of the family. He’s part of the family and believe me, if there is an opportunity, we’ll make sure that he’s the first one to be invited to the party.”
