Hyundai Sweden Rally WRC2 Overview 06.02.2023: WRC RALLY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SWEDEN RALLY 9-12 February 2023 Rally Sweden will mark the first outing of the year for Hyundai Motorsport N’s two entries in the WRC2 category. The team’s line-up in the class is unchanged from last season, with

WRC RALLY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
SWEDEN RALLY
9-12 February 2023





Rally Sweden will mark the first outing of the year for Hyundai Motorsport N’s two entries in the WRC2 category. The team’s line-up in the class is unchanged from last season, with Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula and Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Der Ohannesian competing behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2.


 
The Finnish duo delivered a series of strong performances in 2022, which included an impressive victory at Rally de España. Now with plenty of experience within the Rally2 machine, the pair will be hoping to mount a WRC2 title challenge in 2023. 21-year-old Zaldivar showed promising pace alongside co-driver Der Ohannesian last season and will be targeting a positive start to his campaign in Sweden.


 
Suninen said: “Ever since the beginning of my career, Rally Sweden has been one of my favourite events. As it is our first time on snow in this car, testing will be very important for us. However, I hope my previous experience in wintry conditions will help me find a good feeling in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2.


The stages themselves are relatively technical but with fast sections. It will be very tight, so we must be on the limit from the start to be competitive. We will also need to be brave and confident if we want to end the rally on the podium, and that is our target.”



 
Zaldivar said: “I am very excited to be driving in snow again! Coming from a country with no snow, competing on this surface is always very special to me and I have great confidence in our Hyundai i20 N Rally2. This will be my first time in Umeå; I have no previous experience of the stages.


I just hope there is enough snow to be able to enjoy the stages on both the first and second passes. Our aim for the weekend is to improve stage by stage and above all gain more confidence on this surface, which will surely allow me to obtain better times between each runs.”
 



Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Andrea Cisotti said: “It will be exciting to see our Rally2 cars out on the stages for the first time this year in Sweden. Teemu and Mikko showed last season that they are capable of battling at the front of the WRC2 field, which we hope they can continue next weekend.



Fabrizio and Marcelo will be focused on development and improvement across the four days of the event; we know they have good pace, so a strong result is definitely within their reach. We wish both crews the best of luck for the rally.”
 





Stefan Ph. Henrich, Nicoletta Russo, photo Hyundai