Suninen to make Hyundai comeback for Rally Chile

Hyundai Motorsport has confirmed that Teemu Suninen will return to its third factory-run i20 N Rally1 car on September’s Rally Chile.

The 29-year-old has made an impressive start to life with the South Korean manufacturer since he was promoted to the team back in June.

He was headhunted through the relaunched Driver Development Programme to replace the late Craig Breen on selected rounds of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship.

Suninen has gone on to make two starts in the sport’s top division alongside countryman Mikko Markkulu and returned points scoring finishes on both.

On his Rally1 debut at July’s Rally Estonia, Suninen came home fifth overall before going one better at his home round earlier this month, completing Rally Finland fourth overall.

Finland was a particularly strong performance by Suninen despite being narrowly beaten to the final podium spot by the GR Yaris Rally1 of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Takamoto Katsuta.

Speaking at the time, Suninen said: “I would say the result itself is quite good even if there is some disappointment to miss out the podium. There is a lot to process after these two rallies that will help prepare the next one and come back stronger.

“It has been a pleasure working with the Hyundai Motorsport team, they are really supporting me and giving me everything they can. I’m really looking forward to the next rally together,” he added.

The pace at which Suninen has gelled with the hybrid-powered car, and the maturity he has shown over the course of the two fastest World Rally Championship rounds, has not gone unnoticed by Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul.

Abiteboul said he shared Suninen’s frustration at being denied a trophy last time out by Katsuta, suggesting it was “a sign of our shared ambition”.

Before Suninen makes his second Rally Chile appearance from September 28 to October 1, teams and crews will tackle Acropolis Rally (September 7-10).

World Rally veteran Dani Sordo returns to the Hyundai Motorsport line-up for the Greek fixture, which is completed by Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm.