Atko back in WRC

It’s official: Australian rally star Chris Atkinson has scored a seat in next year’s World Rally Championship with Hyundai.

The Gold Coaster, who was an official test driver for Hyundai Motorsport this year and a strong chance to be part of the Korean brand’s 2014 WRC assault, has been out of a full-time WRC drive since the end of 2008.

The driver line-up was announced today at the official launch of the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team at Hyundai Motor Europe’s Offenbach HQ in Germany, where the Hyundai i20 WRC 2014 livery was also unveiled.

Atkinson, who has 75 WRC starts to his name, will drive the second i20 WRCar in selected rallies, including his home round -- Coates Hire Rally Australia in the Coffs Harbour Coast region in September.

Hyundai Motorsport announced Thierry Neuville as its lead driver last month, with Atkinson sharing the second car in selected rallies with Spaniard Dani Sordo and Finn and fellow test driver Juho Hänninen.

Sordo will be Neuville’s teammate at the 2014 WRC-opening Rally Monte Carlo in Monaco in just over a month, with Hänninen locked in to make his WRC debut for Hyundai at February's Rally Sweden.

Hänninen made his WRC debut in Sweden in 2006, winning the Group N class, and finished sixth in this year's event.

Atkinson, who will continue to be partnered by Belgian Stefan Prevot from the co-driver’s seat, made his WRC debut in 2004 in New Zealand and has never won a WRC round, but has two seconds (both in 2008), four thirds, 41 stage wins and 158 WRC points to his name.

At this stage it’s unclear which rounds Atkinson will compete in apart from Rally Australia, which will be held a decade after he scored his first WRC points.

“It’s a nice early Christmas present to be given this opportunity to return to the WRC with Hyundai Motorsport and I’m really looking forward to the 2014 season,” he said.

“We’ve been testing with the team this year and the car is coming along great so it will be good to get into competitive action next year. We have a great team and with the support from Hyundai Australia and Hyundai globally we’re charging forward and hopefully will secure some great results for the team in the future.

“It’s going to be awesome to compete in front of my home crowd on the Coates Hire Rally Australia. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve raced at home and last time out we retired from the lead of the event so it will be good to get back out there and have a good crack next year.”

Formed in December 2012, Hyundai Motorsport says its main aim in its debut WRC season is to finish each rally with two cars.

“We have worked tremendously hard to get where we are today and to be able to launch our new WRC team to the world,” said Team Principal of Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, Michel Nandan.

“In less than one year, we have built and tested a brand-new WRC-specification car, the Hyundai i20 WRC, and established a professional team and modern motorsport facility. It's a huge accomplishment but we know that we have a lot to learn in our first season.

“Our aims for 2014 are realistic: we want to finish each rally with both cars and build up a database of information and experience so we can develop ourselves into prospective rally winners in the future. If all goes well, we will hope to be competing for occasional podiums as the year progresses."