Lindholm hoping Hyundai drive can reignite WRC2 title defence

Hyundai Motorsport protégé Emil Lindholm says he has a good feeling about his success prospects in the World Rally Championship’s WRC2 support series on the eve of this week’s Rally Estonia.

Jason Craig_1

17 Jul 2023

Last month, it was announced that the young Finn would form part of the relaunched Hyundai Driver Development Programme line-up, with the Tartu-based high-speed gravel fixture heralding his first outing as part of it.

Lindholm steps into the i20 N Rally supermini being vacated by Teemu Suninen who is making the step up to the factory-backed squad to drive the third points-scoring i20 N Rally1 car in Estonia. A fellow member of the programme, Suninen - whose last top-flight outing came at ACI Rally Monza when he deputised for Ott Tanak - has also been confirmed for next month’s Rally Finland.

As the reigning WRC2 champion, Lindholm is hoping the opportunity with Hyundai will help get his title defence back on track, with a first podium of the campaign his number one priority. As it stands, he is fifth in the title race on forty four points, thirty three adrift of Frenchman and runaway leader, Yohan Rossel (Citroen C3 Rally2).

However, with six out of seven scores to count, it is actually former champion Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) who is in the best shape mathematically; he made made two starts and has one victory to his name with that coming on Rally Italia Sardegna last month.

“It is exciting to go into my first event in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. It is a new team and a new car, and it is already feeling impressive, so I am confident going into Estonia,” said Lindholm, who will be navigated by Reeta Hämäläinen.

“The roads are soft, so they get rutted but, of course, they are super-fast – some very unique road conditions. It reminds me of my home rally, so of course I like it.

“The target for the weekend is to enjoy the car, enjoy the roads and to do our best. I believe we have everything we need to achieve a podium in Estonia,” he added.

Rally Estonia begins on Thursday morning with a shakedown stage before a Super Special Stage later that evening marks the official start. Friday is the longest leg of the event with its seven speed tests totalling 133.38km. On Saturday, crews face a further nine stages (102.61km) followed by 61km on Sunday.