16.09.2018 Press release

Hyundai Motorsport has claimed tenth podium finish in Rally Turkey

  • Hyundai Motorsport has claimed its tenth podium finish of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship with third place in Rally Turkey
  • Hayden Paddon secured the position to register his first top-three result of the season, his seventh career podium in WRC with Hyundai Motorsport
  • Earlier rally leader Andreas Mikkelsen finished fifth to score important points with Thierry Neuville impressing in the Power Stage points to keep his championship lead

Press material

Hyundai Motorsport has registered a podium finish in Rally Turkey, the tenth round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall completing a punishing event.
Hyundai Motorsport has registered a podium finish in Rally Turkey, the tenth round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), with Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall completing a punishing event in a fine third place.
For the Kiwi and his British co-driver, the result marked their first podium of the 2018 season and Hyundai Motorsport’s tenth in total this year.
Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jæger, who had led the rally on three separate occasions before technical issues on Saturday afternoon, finished in fifth place.
Following two incredibly rough days of action, Sunday’s itinerary was a relatively calmer affair with crews focused on securing their positions. However, the title protagonists Thierry Neuville, Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tanak all had eyes on the extra Power Stage points.
Following their retirement on Saturday morning, Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul re-joined under Rally 2 on Sunday morning. The Belgian crew laid down a strong benchmark in the day’s opening run through the 7.14km Marmaris stage, claiming their third fastest time of the weekend. They went on to set a blistering pace in the Power Stage, the only crew to complete the route in less than five minutes, to score five crucial extra points.
The WRC manufacturers’ championship has intensified with a resurgent Toyota Gazoo Racing moving into the lead by just five points over Hyundai Motorsport after their 1-2 result in Turkey.
Despite a hard-fought but ultimately disappointing rally, Neuville retains his lead in the drivers’ championship, just 13 points ahead of new runner-up Tanak and 23 from third-placed Ogier. With three rallies remaining of the 2018 season, it promises to be an exciting fight to the finish.

Going down to the wire


  • Seven stage wins and tenth podium of 2018 season
  • Despite showing promise, team drops to second in manufacturers’ championship
I am pleased to see Hayden and Seb register their first podium of the season today after a measured and intelligent drive this weekend. It is always nice to take a top-three finish but we know we have missed out on so much more. Thierry and Andreas both led the rally on different occasions, and the pace of the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC was strong on these very rough Turkish stages. The impressive performance of Thierry and Nicolas in the Power Stage showed what might have been. Unfortunately, we have to accept the situation and come back fighting; it is what rallying is all about. We have seen a shift in the championship battle this weekend, one from which we need to bounce back quickly. We will aim to do just that in Wales.

Michel Nandan Team Principal

Next Rally


  • Wales Rally GB takes place from 4-7 October
  • Hyundai Motorsport will field a three-crew line-up with Mikkelsen/Jæger, Neuville/Gilsoul and Paddon/Marshall

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