Dani Sordo is back

The Spanish star is back.

Sordo is, without doubt, one of the most popular characters in the FIA World Rally Championship and there was universal appreciation of his efforts to return to the series and go quicker than anybody straight out of the blocks.

It is, however, worth remembering that while Sordo hasn’t been seen in WRC action so far this season, he did contest a warm-up rally in the vicinity of this week’s Portuguese stages late last month and he was very much present at the last European gravel round before this one. The podium third position on the EKO Acropolis Rally of Greece in September suddenly doesn’t seem so far away.

And he has form on the WRC round closest to his home town, just across the border in northern Spain. On three of the last four Rally de Portugals, he’s been on the podium and on two of those occasions, he’s been second.

“I like this rally,” he said. “The support is coming from home, the roads are nice, the atmosphere is nice and I have some good results here. It can be a good weekend.”

But can it be a great weekend? Wait and see. But don’t be surprised to see the Spanish-flagged Hyundai at the sharp end for the duration of round five.