The Safari Rally, which hosts the third spherical of the WRC season this week, is famend as a car-breaker because of its distinctive mix of tough terrain and changeable climate.
It has confirmed to be a bogey occasion for Hyundai because the occasion returned to the calendar in 2021, with its solely podium end thus far achieved by Ott Tanak ending third three years in the past. The final two editions have seen Toyota rating a 1-2-3-4 lock out whereas Hyundai battled mechanical points.
Final 12 months, Neuville suffered a suspension failure which ended hopes of victory because the Belgian recovered to complete eighth on the street, earlier than officers excluded him from the occasion following a breach of recce guidelines.
Crew-mate Esapekka Lappi was in podium competition however a trio of propshaft failures curtailed his rally, whereas Dani Sordo completed a distant fifth.
Hyundai has since addressed its reliability points by way of a collection of upgrades within the low season, and has made a robust begin to 2024, profitable the opening two occasions in Monte Carlo (Neuville) and Sweden (Lappi).
Championship chief Neuville believes Hyundai will head to Africa stronger than in earlier years.
“I believe so,” Neuville informed Autosport when requested if he thought Hyundai had resolved its reliability points.
“Now we have continuously improved, nonetheless Kenya has been a troublesome occasion for us and for all of Hyundai over the previous years, so hopefully the fourth time we go there we ought to be dependable sufficient.”
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Crew
Photograph by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
Neuville mentioned Hyundai’s pre-event check in Spain was productive, including: “It wasn’t the best floor and circumstances however a minimum of we had been operating the automotive at altitude, so it was fascinating to additionally work on these parameters of the automotive.”
This 12 months’s Safari Rally reverts to a extra conventional Easter date as a substitute of the June berth that the occasion held since its return in 2021.
Consequently, the rally will happen throughout Kenya’s wet season which will increase the chance of changeable climate. To assist fight the potential of heavy rain, Rally1 automobiles will be capable to match snorkel gadgets following a change in laws.
When requested about the potential of excessive climate, Neuville responded: “We anticipate it to be scorching however moist. It could possibly be much less tough, however it could possibly be extra of a lottery because of the climate.
“If there’s numerous rain positively, [snorkels will be crucial].”
Hyundai crew principal Cyril Abiteboul added: “Safari Rally Kenya is a traditionally difficult occasion for us. The distinctive circumstances enhance the potential for automobiles to succumb to technical points brought on by the environment, which means we have now to concentrate on being strong and dependable at first.
“Now we have made a robust begin to the season so we should go to Kenya with perception in ourselves. It’s the first gravel occasion of the 2024 season, making it considerably a testing floor for the 2024 iteration of our automotive.
“Our efficiency final 12 months confirmed promise, so we hope to take it one step additional and depart Kenya with a podium end at the least.”