Lone ranger Sordo set to shine in NZ

The Prodrive WRC Team’s single-car entry on Brother Rally New Zealand won’t hinder Dani Sordo’s bid for a second podium finish in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship according to the British squad’s principal Dave Wilcock.

Sordo will be back on board a MINI John Cooper Works WRC for the first time since his Power Stage triumph on Vodafone Rally de Portugal back in April when he tackles the Auckland-based event from 21-24 June.

The Spaniard will pilot Prodrive’s sole revamped MINI in New Zealand, which Wilcock says can only benefit the former Junior world champion, who finished second on Rallye Monte-Carlo in January.

“Of course with two drivers they can feed off each other and you can compare like for like but we’re in a position where we can give Dani 110 per cent focus and for a driver that’s something very powerful to have,” said Wilcock. “They can see that all the effort from the team on event and back in the factory is with one driver in mind and that will play to Dani’s strengths.”

Although Prodrive will be restricted to one car in New Zealand, the MINI challenge in the Southern Hemisphere will be bolstered by Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre, who will compete for the WRC Team MINI Portugal operation, which benefits from Prodrive’s engineering support.

Visit WRC.com later this week to find out why Wilcock believes Sordo will be a contender for a podium finish in New Zealand.