The 2021 European Rally Championship is approaching the final part of the season. The calendar includes the 3rd Rally Hungary from 22 to 24 October and then, in mid-November, it will be the turn of the Rally Islas Canarias.
Hyundai Rally Team Italia confirms the presence in Hungary of Umberto Scandola and Danilo Fappani at the wheel of the i20 R5 of SA Motorsport. The seventh round of the continental series takes place on the fast and treacherous special stages of the province of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, 200 km northeast of Budapest.
Also on this occasion it is a completely new rally for the team and for the Scandola-Fappani duo. The main objective of the eve is to quickly take the measures in the first part of the race, to then attack with greater determination in the repetition of the tests and fight at the top of the standings, as already happened in the last rounds of the ERC.
The test carried out the day before the start of the race will be very important, to find the best set-up settings and to become familiar with a very treacherous surface characterized by continuous changes in grip and the many cuts that bring dirt to the road.
“We will face this new challenge of the European Championship with attention and great determination – says Scandola – After a couple of rallies on gravel we return to the asphalt, but with a grip situation made difficult by the sections in the undergrowth and by the continuous cuts that will dirty the surface making it slippery”.
“If it rains it will be even more complicated, but we are ready with different set-up solutions and Pirelli tires. I have viewed the videos of the tests to prepare for the reconnaissance and I have noticed that there are many points where we will move into fourth and fifth gear with a very high average speed “.
“We will have to be very precise in writing the notes because not the slightest distraction will be allowed at the expense of the chronometer. This year I raced a lot with my i20 and I got to know the car and the tires well, this makes me optimistic for a good final result. after the first km of adaptation to the race “.
Among the eleven rallies disputed in 2021 by Scandola, the only one on asphalt was the Rally di Roma Capitale. The European leg of the race on the Roman roads created some problems that did not allow the driver to fully express the potential of the car. The previous outings on this fund, in fact, had allowed him to conquer a victory in the Italian Championship at the Rally Due Valli in 2020 and a second place among the national R5s at the Rally of Alba in 2019.
The feeling on the dirt road is much more experienced where, thanks to three victories, the driver from Verona is in command of the Italian Rally Terrain Championship when there is only one appointment left.
A second Hyundai i20 R5 will also be present at Rally Hungary with reigning WRC3 world champion Jari Huttunen and Mikko Lukka taking over from Dani Sordo and Candido Carrera.
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