Chris Atkinson will evaluate a range of options for 2015 after completing only his second campaign for the Shell Hyundai World Rally Team in the WRC this season.
Atkinson endured a difficult maiden Coates Hire Rally Australia following his seventh place in Mexico earlier in the year.
The 34-year-old former Subaru factory driver finished in 10th place, 9:29.4s adrift of winner Sebastien Ogier after almost 310km of competitive stages.
With his future in the balance, Atkinson’s next move remains uncertain.
Hyundai elected to run a rotation policy with the #8 i20 for its first season back in the championship since 2003.
Former factory Citroen driver Dani Sordo, Finn Juho Hanninen have shared the second i20 and Bryan Bouffier have all enjoyed seat time in the team’s second car.
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Hyundai has risen to great heights in a season with its #1 driver Thierry Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul claiming a shock history-making win for the Korean marque in Germany last month.
The team has committed to seven rallies in a satellite entry for Kiwi Hayden Paddon, who finished the Coffs Harbour event as the top Hyundai finisher in sixth, his best result in an outright WRC car.
Although frustrated at not being able to perform at the level, which has seen Atkinson compile 41 WRC stage wins during his career, he says the hunger to compete at rallying’s pinnacle remains although other options have not been ruled out.
“I want to do something fun and be at the front so we are looking at things”, Atkinson told Speedcafe.com.
“I said to myself I will see where I am at after this event and then start thinking about the next plan. I do have a few options out there, it might not be WRC, but who knows.
“I don’t want to do anything half-assed but if a WRC drive appears I will be keen.
“I have still got the hunger but the difficult thing is you don’t want to do it half assed and when you turn up once every six months or so it is a bit like that.”
The former Subaru works driver admitted he never felt comfortable behind the wheel of the i20 throughout Rally Australia, choosing not to push to the limit and risk coming to grief.
“For sure I could have pushed harder but I never really felt comfortable or found my rhythm and I knew it could end in the trees if we didn’t have that correct feeling,” added Atkinson.
“On an event I knew better I could have been a bit quick but that’s life, enough of the excuses.
“I didn’t go on the level I come to expect and what’s required but to finish in the points without a scratch on the car is good.
“I think if you are going to do these one of events you need to have done them before and even then it takes a year of doing a full championship to build your speed.
“Once you are out of that rhythm you are almost starting from scratch.
“Of course I can drive a rally car and I’ve won lots of stages in my time.
“It’s not like I feel on the limit in the car and rallying is one of those sports where trying to find the last bit of pace is not the easiest of things.”
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