Hyundai Motorsport target tarmac glory at WRC Tour de Corse

Fresh from securing its first podium finish of the season at Rally Mexico, Hyundai Motorsport is ready to take to the tarmac this week at Tour de Corse (6-9 April), the fourth round of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
 
The Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC has already proven to be a strong and versatile challenger in this competitive WRC season, the team has amassed 20 stage wins and 16 Power Stage points in the opening three rounds – across all driver crews.
  
Tour de Corse is famed for its many tricky twists and turns, which have contributed to its nickname, ‘Rally of 10,000 Corners’. The rally takes place against a variety of backdrops, ranging from cliff edges to crystal blue seas and picturesque villages.

After a challenging start to their 2017 WRC campaign, the Kiwi partnership of Hayden Paddon and John Kennard will be targeting a good result in Corsica. As part of his preparation for the event, Paddon took part in Rallye Sanremo, finishing the event in second. 

“I am determined that Corsica will be the real start of my 2017 season,” said Paddon.

“I feel confident in myself and I’ve been working hard to prepare for the first WRC tarmac event of the year. Taking part in Rallye Sanremo will give me the chance to adjust to the driving and pace notes on that surface.”

“Corsica is a difficult event, the toughest tarmac rally on the calendar in my opinion, but I am really looking forward to it. We are ready to put a good performance.”

This will be only the third iteration of the event since its reinstatement to the WRC calendar in 2015.

The itinerary itself will have a familiar feel, although several stages have been shortened to reduce the competitive distance from 390.92km to 316.80km.

The event spans the whole Mediterranean island. Thursday evening’s Ceremonial Start is hosted in Ajaccio on the west coast with the rally itself based in Bastia in the north east.

The competitive route comprises 10 stages covering before finishing in Porto-Vecchio in the south on Sunday 9 April.