The Hyundai WRC Team has dropped Andreas Mikkelsen for the next round of the World Rally Championship in Corsica next month.
The Norwegian had been set to contest all 14 rounds of the 2019 WRC calendar alongside lead driver Thierry Neuville, whilst Dani Sordo and Sebastien Loeb shared the third Hyundai i20.
However the team announced on Tuesday that it would instead field Neuville, Sordo and Loeb, believing that line-up offers improved chances of fighting for victory and podiums.
"In a change to its original plans for the season, the team will call on its tarmac specialist crews in a bid to strengthen its chances in the tight, twisty and techinical rally," Hyundai said.
"The decision to adjust our driver line-up is intended to help the team fight consistently at each round with multiple opportunities to score podium results."
Sordo and Loeb both favour asphalt surfaces, of which Corsica is, with Loeb having six Corsica wins tto his name Sordo six podiums at the event over his career.
Therefore Mikkelsen's participation at further asphalt-based events, such as Rally Germany, remains in question.
Hyundai, which is desperate to win a title this year, is currently second in the manufacturers’ standings, just a point behind Toyota.
Mikkelsen meanwhile sits eighth in the standings after his fourth-place finish at Rally Sweden.
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