The Finn was promoted to Hyundai’s third manufacturing facility i20 N Rally1 automotive, shared with Dani Sordo, for WRC rounds in Estonia and Finland, filling the place left by the late Craig Breen.
Final month the Korean marque revealed that Suninen can even be handed a chance for a 3rd gravel rally when the WRC returns to Chile, for the primary time since 2019, on the finish of the month.
PLUS: How the WRC saw a different side to Rovanpera in his latest Acropolis Rally triumph
Hyundai has now supplied Suninen a primary WRC Rally outing on asphalt, courtesy of the inaugural Central European Rally from (6-9 October). The rally will cross the border of three counties utilising roads within the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany.
It is usually anticipated that Suninen will come up in opposition to Sebastien Ogier, who seems prone to take the wheel of Toyota’s third GR Yaris for that spherical. The Frenchman recommended final weekend that the spherical would “most likely” be his subsequent this yr.
To assist put together for the rally, Suninen seems set to deal with the ultimate spherical of the Austrian nationwide championship, the OBM Bucklige Welt Rallye, behind the wheel of a i20 N Rally1 automotive this weekend.
Teemu Suninen, Mikko Markkula, Hyundai World Rally Staff Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photograph by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
Suninen has impressed in each outings on quick gravel levels, ending fifth in Estonia earlier than following that consequence up with a fourth at his house occasion in Finland.
Hyundai’s driver line-up announcement seems to pave the way in which for Sordo to return to Hyundai’s third automotive for the season finale in Japan from 16-19 November.
The 40-year-old contested the spherical final yr which resulted in retirement when his automotive burst into flames.
Sordo rejoined the Hyundai squad final weekend in Greece, the place he completed third to say his 56th profession WRC podium that podium that moved him to tied ninth on the championship’s all-time podium finishers checklist.
Talking within the post-event press convention h recommended that Japan can be his subsequent outing though Hyundai is but to substantiate this.
The veteran Spaniard’s future past this season with Hyundai can also be but to be decided.