Blow to Team Hyundai as Lappi, Tanak retire in day II of Safari
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team's Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi steers his Hyundia i20 N Rally1 Hybrid with Finnish co-driver Janne Ferm during the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally Kenya Special Stage 4 (SS4) in Naivasha, on March 29, 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP)
They came to the WRC Safari rally on form and having won the opening two legs of the Championship - Rally Monet Carlo and Rally Sweden - but Hyundai's struggles in the WRC Safari rally look to be far from over.
Despite Championship leader Thierry Neuville ending day one leading the pack, he quickly was returned to familiar territories in his Safari memory as he suffered a rear-right puncture in the Geothermal stage losing a sizeable amount of time.
He looked to be the only Hyundai struggling in the race but teammate Esapekka Lappi stopped 9.8km into the Loldia 2 stage in the afternoon loop further compounding the Korean automobile manufacturer in deeper trouble.
Ott Tanak noted Neuville's huge damage in SS4 didn't allow the Hyundai mechanics enough time to work on their car thus struggling further in the afternoon loop.
"That's a big shame; for us it was a difficult stage (Loldia 2) once again. Thierry's car had so much work needed in service so the guys couldn't work on our car," remarked the former WRC champion.
Little did he know that he was the headed to an agonising retirement too, as as he came to a halt in the afternoon loop.
Tanak who was chasing Toyota for the lead hit a rock approaching a left-hander in the Geothermal 2 stage breaking his Hyundai i20's suspension.
But there was much talk about Lappi's stoppage.
It wasn't immediately clear what resulted to Lappi's early retirement but it sure will be a headache to Hyundai who had hoped for a drama free weekend here in Naivasha as remarked by their team principal Cyril Abiteboul.
"In the past we've not been successful here; our cat hasn't been the strongest of cars here but this year's we have focused on two things to help improve; one is to reduce the weight of the car and improve the centre of gravity of the car and two sort our reliability issues.
"Kenya is a famous rally for exposing some of the weaknesses that you have and that are not direct issues yet so we will see."
This will absolutely be a loud and rude awakening to the team as they look to tackle the rest of the Safari rally with Tanak and Neuville their dim hopes of securing at least a podium if not winning their maiden WRC Safari rally title.
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