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Happy Sordo closes in on ERC debut

Dani Sordo is set to be a happy man when he makes his FIA European Rally Championship debut on next week's Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

Sordo will drive a factory-backed Hyundai i20 R5 on the sealed-surface event from 24-26 August. And after testing the car for the first time in Czech Republic last week, the Spaniard declared himself "happy".

"I'm happy to drive the car because it was the first time for me," said Sordo, part of Hyundai's works team in the world championship. "Of course we need to work on adapting it to the local bumpy roads, but the car has potential [for this event]. And with a little more time and more work it will be much more competitive [on the Czech stages]."

As well as fine-tuning the Hyundai i20 R5 to the unique Czech roads, last week's test has given Sordo a better understanding of what he will face on Barum Czech Rally Zlín.

"The roads are quite bumpy and difficult because they are narrow and some parts are really, really bumpy," he said. "I hear experience is very important but I need to be there and need to feel the roads and see what's happening. Our target is to win the rally and show people are car is fast. We try to do our best."

Zdroj: fiaerc.com