Trio of i20 R5 crews score top tens in Italian event Three Friulmotor-run i20 R5 crews finished in the top ten overall on Rally Bellunese (May 22-23), led by Filippo Bravi in second position. He was joined by Rok Turk in fifth place – preparing to defend the national title in his native Slovenia – and Claudio de Cecco in sixth after consistent performances of their own on the seven-stage event. Consistent run takes Danish crew to the brink of overall podium Driver Simon Vallentin Hansen finished fourth in his Kowax 2BRally-prepared i20 R5 on Rally Stoholm (May 15), the second round of the Danish national championship. After a comfortable start to the event he and co-driver Peter Egholm quickly climbed the overall standings towards the podium positions. They were fastest of all on SS7 and ended the rally less than two seconds from the final step on the rostrum. Turkish i20 R5 drivers display top-ten pace in Bulgaria Turks Mustafa Cakal and Erkan Gürel were among the entry for International Rally Bulgaria (May 14-16) as part of their Balkan Rally Trophy campaign. After ending the opening loop of four stages in 11th, Cakal rose up the order to fourth to lie fourth in class after the penultimate stage, where he was second fastest. However, a slow time and a 30-second penalty on the final stage dropped him to fifth in class and seventh overall in the final standings. Gürel had his own run in the top-ten in class ended by a mechanical problem on stage 10 of 16. Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Operations Manager Andrew Johns said: “The 2021 season is now fully underway, as the spring brings the start of more championships for our individual customers. In both Germany and Russia – countries where our Hyundai i30 N TCR customers have had great success in the past – teams have made strong starts to the season, which promises another successful year to come. Victory for Bryan Herta Autosport in the USA continues a great string of results for Hyundai Elantra N TCR drivers in recent weeks, which is very encouraging with the start of the FIA WTCR season fast approaching. Rally de Portugal also saw two of our Customer Racing Junior Drivers show good pace and take good finishes in the first events of their seasons with the Hyundai i20 R5 at the global level.”
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