The Estonian tested the latest version of the car on a snowy, forested track in the depths of Finland (see video below) last weekend; he had also tested in France the preceding weekend.

The 2019 WRC champion said that not much had changed with the Hyundai set-up since he left the team at the end of the 2022 season, to drive for M-Sport Ford for 2023.

"I wouldn't say that the car is radically different from what we previously had, but it is definitely better tuned now," was Tänak's verdict.

Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja announced in October they were going back to Hyundai for next season, having been with the team for three seasons, 2020-2022.

Despite M-Sport being less well-funded than Hyundai and Toyota, Tänak put in two wins in the season just finished, in Sweden early on in the season and in Chile at the start of October, and finished on the podium in the inaugural Central European Rally later that month.

He finished fourth overall in the driver's table; Finn Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) won his second title, following his maiden win in 2022.

As per tradition, the WRC season starts in late January in Monte Carlo.

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