Sensing that Wydaeghe is perhaps one thing of stealth rally driver with a collection of as-yet undisclosed Belgian occasions underneath his belt, I push him a bit additional on his time behind the wheel.
“San Marino was the primary time I ever drove a rally automotive.”
Oh. And now he’s certain for the very woods that tripped Travis Pastrana up, tipping the American ace on his head a number of years in the past.
Didn’t I point out, Eliot, it’s the Forest Rally Stage for you. Simply as properly it’s not going to be raining. That chalky floor is slick within the moist.
Wydaeghe smiled: “I got here right here as a spectator in 2017 and watched on this stage – it’s slippery. Even within the dry it seems very, very low grip and you’ve got like this banking all over the place and yeah, there isn’t any room for error. And, I don’t know the place I’m going – I don’t get to make the recce…”
And now Hyundai goes to let him unfastened in a 2024-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally1 (albeit with the hybrid eliminated – he in all probability doesn’t want the additional 134bhp off the road!).
“It’s a pleasant alternative to get pleasure from this type of equipment. Like I stated, I don’t have a lot expertise. I didn’t drive on any street sections or something like that – there are two issues: with Thierry’s seat place, I couldn’t attain the pedals and he couldn’t slot in my seat!
