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| - Spain's Dani Sordo will target a third straight Rally of Italy win in Sardinia for Hyundai starting on Friday faced with the stiff challenge of Toyota pair Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. Welsh driver Evans won on gravel in Portugal last time out to close the gap to two points on seven-time world champion team-mate Ogier, who leads the standings after wins in Monte Carlo and Croatia. All three Hyundai drivers -- Sordo, Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak -- have past wins in Sardinia and will be looking to replicate their form on the dusty roads. Belgian Neuville won in 2016 and two years later. Estonia's Tanak won in a Ford Fiesta in 2017, moving to Hyundai in 2019, after winning the world title with Toyota. Evans won in Portugal after Tanak and Neuville both suffered suspension problems. "We have a clear target for victory in Sardinia, to make up for the missed opportunities from Portugal," said Hyundai team principal Andrea Adamo. "The championship is far from over, so we have to dig deep and come back fighting." Sordo will be targeting his 50th podium finish in a event which has "delivered really good results" for him in the past. "We showed a lot of pace on the gravel in Portugal so I hope we can take that across to Italy," added Tanak. Sordo, 38, warmed-up for the fifth round of the 12-race season with second-place in Portugal behind Evans and ahead of Ogier. As in Portugal, Ogier has the disadvantage of going first and acting as a sweeper on the dusty roads. But the French driver knows the fast, narrow, sandy and gravel roads around Alghero, on the northwestern coast of the Mediterranean island, having won three times from 2013 to 2015 in a VW Polo-R. "I'd like it to rain a bit to compact the dust but I think rain isn't forecast before Saturday night," said Ogier. "It will be too late for me." Evans will be looking for his fourth podium finish this season. "Even though it's quite a tight turnaround, I think we probably all have a few ideas as to how we can improve the package for Sardinia," warned last season's world runner-up. 1. Sebastien Ogier (FRA/Toyota) 79 points, 2. Elfyn Evans (GBR/Toyota) 77, 3. Thierry Neuville (BEL/Hyundai) 57, 4. Ott Tanak (EST/Hyundai) 45, 5. Kalle Rovanpera (FIN/Toyota) 41, 6. Takamoto Katsuta (JPN/Toyota) 36, 7. Dani Sordo (ESP/Hyundai) 29, 8. Craig Breen (IRL/Hyundai) 24, 9. Gus Greensmith (GBR/M-Sport Ford) 22, 10. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA/M-Sport Ford) 20 1. Toyota 183pts, 2. Hyundai 146, 3. M-Sport Ford 64, 4. Hyundai 2C Competition 28 bur-ea/iwd
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