The silver lining in Breen’s early M-Sport break-up
Craig Breen is no longer an M-Sport Ford world rally driver. After a difficult debut season together in the World Rally Championship, the partnership ended one year earlier than initially contracted.
There was much optimism when Breen and Paul Nagle were announced as M-Sport’s lead crew for WRC’s first year of Rally1 regulations. Third on Monte-Carlo’s opening round, the scene of M-Sport’s first double podium since 2018, fuelled that optimism.
Had we been told of Breen’s end-of-season departure back then, well it would have seemed disastrous.
Instead, there is a sense of hope surrounding Breen’s “amicable” split from M-Sport.
Relief that a line can be drawn after a desperately tough year for both parties. A succession of uncharacteristic crashes followed niggling issues that hampered Breen’s ability to steer his Ford Puma Rally1 to the heights expected.
It created a dark cloud we all hoped would shift. But it didn’t, until now.
So, where can hope be found in such a situation?
Opportunity.
It seems WRC’s favourite Irishman has a shot at returning to Hyundai Motorsport.
Breen would likely be back to the same seat-sharing role with Dani Sordo that he aced in 2020 and ‘21.
The potential for a fresh start alongside new co-driver James Fulton makes an awful lot of sense, not only for Breen but also for Hyundai.
Ott Tanak and Oliver Solberg’s exits from the Korean marque have freed up two driving positions. The former has been filled by Esapekka Lappi, the other is still up for grabs.
Breen had a two-from-three podium hit rate with Hyundai after WRC’s unscheduled covid break in 2020. You can’t argue with facts. As disappointing as 2022 has been, Breen’s pre M-Sport form was sensational.
Aside from that, I believe there are two more reasons that should encourage Hyundai to chase Breen’s signature.
Reason number one – Thierry Neuville. Reason number two – Dani Sordo.
Neuville has been Hyundai’s main focus since its WRC inception almost nine years ago. His team-mates have come and gone, except Sordo who has remained a constant, with many struggling to adapt to the i20’s characteristics.
Hayden Paddon, Andreas Mikkelsen, and Sebastien Loeb struggled to find their usual form with Hyundai’s 2017 specification World Rally Cars.
Tanak and Solberg encountered similar problems this year.
Tanak, who wrestled his way to three victories, couldn’t stick another season driving a car which demands a driving style befitting a particular driver.
Neuville has the i20’s set-up locked in. His preferred car balance appears to verge on understeer which didn’t seem to be an issue for Breen. In fact, it could well be a car handling characteristic that Breen thrives on.
Hyundai has entrusted its future success to Neuville. That in turn seems to result in a rally car with a fine working margin. Breen is a tried and tested driver with results showing he’s fit for such driving conditions.
Go elsewhere and Hyundai runs the risk of adding another name to its list of drivers unable to adapt to the i20.
Point two.
2017 was the last time Dani Sordo competed on Rally Sweden and Rally Finland. The Spaniard has never done Rally Estonia.
It is clear Sordo has a preference for rallies to include in his driving calendar. Breen’s strengths align nicely with the events Sordo is happy to skip.
They have done it before and they know what works.
A move from full-time to part-time driving may be a step back but it could very well pay dividends in Breen’s long-term WRC future.
Breen is part of world rallying’s latest generation to maximise pre-event preparation. A less expansive itinerary next year could aid this side of his game.
Hyundai won four of WRC’s final six rounds this year. Breen would be heading to a team on an upward trajectory giving him a reasonable chance to rebuild his form and finally tick that world rally victory off his bucket list.
One step back, two steps forward?
We will have to wait to see if Breen’s Hyundai return becomes a reality. For me, it’s an unexpected return that makes sense for both parties.
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Photos by Gavin Woods
