Hyundai: plenty of positives

Hyundai Motorsport insists it will take a number of positives from Rallye Monte-Carlo, despite both of its cars retiring on the first day.

Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo were giving the all-new i20 WRC its first competitive outing in Monte Carlo.

However, Neuville crashed a short distance into the first stage and Sordo was forced into retirement when his car suffered an incurable electrical problem before stage five.

Team principal Michel Nandan admitted it was a disappointing turn of events, but vowed to take some positives from the experience.

He said: “To lose one car after seven kilometres and to have the other retire on a road section was bad. It meant we couldn’t do many kilometres and get a lot more experience.

“But we have to see the positive things. I think we have a good car that is not too far away from some good results. If we were two seconds per kilometer off the other cars it would be a disaster. But that’s not the case.

“I think our guys have done a great job to get our cars ready in time and I think the team has worked in a professional way.”

Nandan said his team will come back fighting on next month’s Rally Sweden and predicted that good times lie ahead.

“We have quite a good car and with the developments we will do this year, by the end of the season I expect us to be able to fight for podiums.”