Battling with Rovanperä “like driving an R5”, jokes Sordo

Sordo, who drives part-time for Hyundai Motorsport, netted the first podium of his 2023 campaign, scoring a hat-trick of stage wins at the gravel event. He was, however, unable to trouble rally winner Rovanperä, who beat him by almost one minute.

Praising Toyota’s defending world champion after the rally, Sordo likened his pursuit of Rovanperä to competing in a different category altogether, akin to driving an R5-specification car.

“You feel like you are driving an R5 in a different category,” joked the Spaniard. “He already did it last year. We know he can always go a little bit more, and he go ‘ciao bang’!

“I’m really happy to get the podium but in particular our performance [on Saturday] was really satisfying for us,” he continued. “In the morning we weren’t really on it but in the afternoon we found our pace, and it was the best feeling.”

As Sordo gears up for the Rally Italia Sardegna (1 - 4 June), an event he has won twice previously, he anticipates another challenge with the added presence of fellow part-timer Sébastien Ogier, who steers a GR Yaris.

“Sardinia is always good for us,” he said. “We will try to make a good result. Seb [Ogier] will also be there so we will have two super-fast Kalles there! It will be interesting.”