Car 1, Ogier/Ingrassia
“I don't know – it is not easy. The grip is changing – muddy in some places and others it is dry. You have to be very careful. I am not so happy with the car – we took six tyres. I’m not sure it was the right choice but the team choice. We are quite heavy. Maybe we can improve the set-up.”
Car 2, Latvala/Anttila
“Maybe two spare tyres is not the best. Always a difficult choice. That’s the way it is. I don't have the confidence to push in the slippery places – too careful at the moment. All the time you have to try to work out where you can brake.”
Car 3, Meeke/Nagle
“A few very slippery places in this one. Very heavy. Maybe it's a little driver for us – I don't know. The rally is so technically challenging – it will take a few times to learn the lines on the road.”
Car 4, Ostberg/Anderson
“It's very similar to the first stage. Lot of grip changes. Not so easy to drive. We are enjoying it and we just need to try to drive the correct way. It is hard because you feel the driving is not to good but it is the same for everyone.”
Car 5, Hirvonen/Lehtinen
“It is going well. I have a good feeling with the car and even though the conditions are tricky we have been able to do a good time. But the guys behind will also be very quick. I am enjoying the driving and being relaxed and it works.”
Car 6, Evans/Barritt
“It’s a bit up and down. I felt I was going well but perhaps I was too cautious. I had a few slides and very easy to make mistakes. There is still some standing water in places. ”
Car 7, Neuville/Gilsoul
“It’s OK. I try to be careful in some places. In some corners it is better to be behind and some in front. This stage was more slippery than the other. A good rhythm but not perfect.”
Car 8, Hänninen/Tuominen
“Dani is doing very good work. Really nice stage but I was a bit too careful – I need to push more. The car feels good and I need to get better rhythm. Now it’s up to us. ”
Car 9, Mikkelsen/ Markkula
“It is very difficult – so easy to make a mistake. So we are taking it very easy and try to get the confidence back up. We are building bit by bit. This was better than the first one.”
Car 10, Kubica/ Szczepaniak
“There are places where it is very muddy. This stage was more tricky – places with more grip and places where it was very slippery. Difficult but OK.”
Car 11, Tanak/Molder
“We are really careful in the beginning and it is difficult to find a good rhythm. Also the notes are too slow but I have made many changes and we are improving. ”
Car 12, Al Qassimi/ Patterson
“Some places are tricky. We had a couple of wide slides in some corners. It is unpredictable. We want to go more but we never know what is around the corner.”
Car 16, Solberg/Minor
“I thought I was fast at the beginning but I don’t know what happened. I haven't hit anything. It happened on a straight [puncture]. Everything was good before this.”
Car 20, Sordo/Marti
“I am not in the first car so I don't know what the conditions are like. I don't think they change a lot. I am happy with my time. I am happy with the drive now in this stage. It's OK – the time was not so bad. We have a small different set-up but only a little bit.”
Car 21, Prokop/Tománek
“A bit different from the stage before. I didn't manage too well – I was really understeering. So we slowed down a bit. Not easy for me. The conditions are changing often. The feeling is not so bad but I need to get better feeling.”
Car 32, Protasov/Cherepin
“This stage for me was slippery and sometimes, better grip. I am happy with the stages today.”
Car 35, Ketomaa/Lindstrom
“It was not a bad stage. We tried to push a bit. I was a little worried as I was a bit tough on the car - it is not a world rally car – but was OK. I thought there was a problem with the gearbox but I hope it is OK.”
Car 38, Ahlin/Abrahamsen
“It was a very hard stage. I have been pretty ill for the last couple of days and I’m still not right. The pace notes in this stage were not perfect so I tried to stay calm and take it easy. ”
Car 40, Al-Attiyah/Bernacchini
“I have a low oil pressure warning and bad turbo response. I am carrying on and will see what happens.”
Car 41, Fuchs/ Mussano
“I have to learn the car – it's a new one for me. The suspension is maybe too soft.”
Car 42, Tidemand/Floene
“I am happy at the moment. I am having a safe drive and must keep this rhythm to the end. ”
Car 43, Sousa/Magalhães
“It is so good to be back in the WRC. I had an intercom problem in the first stage but it was fixed for this one. I was getting the rhythm back, step by step.”
Car 44, Maurin/Klinger
“I haven't been on gravel for three years, so it is a bit difficult to get the feeling again. But it is getting better and better.”
Car 47, Al-Kuwari/ Duffy
“After six months out of the WRC, it is too long and I am finding my way back in this morning. It is very difficult with the grip changes. I am being cautious.”
Car 70, Kruuda/Jäveoja
“Very tough in there. The pace notes were not very good and I lost a lot of time. On the last corner, I slightly grazed a tree and was very lucky. The time is not so bad and we have to keep a clear mind and the car on the road.”
Hyundai Motorsport has today announced Finnish driver Juho Hänninen as one of the team’s test drivers for 2013, ending weeks of speculation over the mystery man behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 WRC in May.
Hyundai Motorsport has been building up its new operation from scratch since the start of the year, establishing the team at a dedicated facility in Alzenau, Germany and recruiting specialists at every level of its organisation.
Test drivers are an integral part of the team’s development programme, requiring the necessary skills and experience to develop a competitive and reliable rally car in a short space of time.
Six months ahead of the debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January 2014, Hyundai Motorsport is in the process of carrying out an intensive test programme to evaluate and develop the i20 WRC on all terrains and conditions.
Hänninen won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2010 followed by the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship and the FIA European Rally Championship titles in 2011 and 2012 respectively. He will be a valuable asset for the team to prepare the assault to the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship.
Hyundai Motorsport will soon be in a position to announce a second test driver for the remainder of the 2013 test phase. 2014 drivers will be announced at the end of the year.
Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: “We’re very pleased to welcome Juho on board for our 2013 test programme. I’m sure his experience and background will contribute to the project and I’m happy with the job he’s done so far.
We have decided to work with different drivers with unique skills and capabilities this year, which will provide us with valuable feedback for 2014.
Hänninen said: “I’m delighted to be part of the Hyundai Motorsport testing programme for this year. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work closely to a manufacturer and to give my contribution to this great challenge.
The first run with the i20 WRC was quite positive for me; I’m very impressed with the work the team has done so far in such an incredibly short space of time. I feel comfortable with everyone in the team and I look forward to carry on working with them in the next six months.”