Daniel Sordo Castillo (born 2 May 1983) is a Spanish rally driver. He competes in the World Rally Championship for Hyundai Motorsport. He achieved his first WRC victory at the 2013 Rallye Deutschland.
Career Sordo began in motocross when he was 12 years old, but also experienced success in hillclimbing, karting and touring cars. He first drove in a World Rally Championship event at the Rally Catalunya, the Spanish round of the series, in 2003 in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, finishing 18th overall. He won the Spanish Junior Championship that year, and retained the title in 2004, while also accumulating further international experience at the WRC events in Argentina (retired), Germany (19th), France (13th) and Spain (20th).
In this last event, Sordo switched from the Lancer Evo to a Citroën C2 S1600, and for 2005 he committed to a full season driving the C2 in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) with Belgium's Kronos Racing team. He also switched co-drivers, pairing with Marc Martí, the former co-driver of double World Champion Carlos Sainz. Victories in Sardinia, Finland, Germany and Spain brought him the junior world title.
These showings earned Sordo a subsequent drive in a Kronos Total Citroën-prepared Xsara World Rally Car as the team's third driver in the 2006 season, although the initial plan - latterly dropped - was for the Spaniard to combine a piecemeal World Rally Car programme with a simultaneous defence of the JWRC title in the C2.
Sordo's early results though, including successive podiums at the Rally Catalunya and the Rallye de France, proved sufficient to not only expand his complement of contested events, but also ensure promotion to the second driver berth from the Rallye Deutschland onwards, alongside Sébastien Loeb and ahead of team-mate Xavier Pons. Sordo finished the 2006 season with four podium places, 49 points and a fifth overall in the drivers' world championship.
Citroën Sport then announced that Sordo will be their second driver for their 2007 season works team return. Sébastien Loeb would lead the team's push to win another title, this time using the C4 instead of Xsara. Sordo started the season with a second place at the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally and went on to finish on the podium six more times; in Portugal, Italy, Spain, where he also led a WRC event for the first time in his career, France, Japan and Ireland. With 65 points, he placed fourth overall in the drivers' championship, behind his teammate Loeb and BP Ford World Rally Team's Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen.
In the 2008 season, after only three points in the first three events, Sordo finished third in Argentina and second in Jordan. On 12 July Sordo won the SM O.K. Auto-Ralli, the fifth round of the Finnish Rally Championship. Initially, he only planned to use the event as a test session when Citroën decided to competitively enroll him in the event to build confidence in preparation for the 2008 Rally Finland. Sordo's win marks his first in a WRC car. Citroën is also believed to have been testing out new parts at this event as a few slight modifications could be noticed in a few cars.
Back in the World Rally Championship, Sordo took fourth place in Finland and went on to drive his C4 WRC to three consecutive runner-up finishes behind his teammate Loeb; in Germany, New Zealand and Spain. With these results, Citroën passed Ford and took a 27-point lead in the manufacturers' world championship. At the season-ending Wales Rally GB, Loeb and Sordo secured the team their fourth manufacturers' crown by finishing first and third, respectively. Sordo finished a career-best third in the drivers' standings.
In the 2010 WRC season, Sordo scored a fourth place in the opening round Rally Sweden, while he scored no points in the following round in Rally Mexico. In the third round in Rally Jordan, he scored another fourth place, in the Turkish Rally, he was forced to retire, while in Rally New Zealand, he scored fifth place and in the Rally of Portugal he scored his first podium finish of the year. In Rally Bulgaria, Sordo finished in second place behind his team leader Loeb, giving his Citroën team their first one-two finish of the season. However, he was replaced by Sebastien Ogier for the remaining gravel events of the season in the works team, and was demoted to the Citroën Junior Team alongside Kimi Räikkönen. In Rally Finland, Sordo finished fourth, and from Rally Deutschland onwards, he swapped his co-driver to Diego Vallejo. In Rally Deutschland itself, Sordo scored another 2nd place podium. In the following Rally in Japan, he finished fourth and in Rally Alsace second again. At the end of the season, he had 63 points using the old scoring system in fifth place. For the 2011 season Sordo joined MINI in their first year in the WRC, securing two podiums with third in Germany and second in France, respectively. He also finished fourth in Spain and sixth in the first round for MINI in Sardegnia. For 2012, he continued his partnership with MINI for their first full season beginning with the Monte Carlo Rally, where he took his first podium for 2012 finishing in second place. However, in Sweden he went off-road and scored no points. Sordo did not compete in the Rally Mexico due to MINI separating from Prodrive. A round later, however, after some more than 100 modifications to the MINI, Sordo won six stages including the power stage. Sordo was set to replace Ford's number one driver Jari-Matti Latvala in Argentina, after the Finn was injured in practice for the upcoming event, the only event he drove for Ford, after which he competed in New-Zealand, Germany, France and Spain for Prodrive as the team tried to focus on the sealed surfaces.
Besides competing in the WRC for 2012, Sordo participated in the IRC in the Tour de Corse in a MINI. He won the event and took his maiden win in the IRC championship. After two seasons in the Prodrive (MINI) Team, Sordo rejoined Citroën for 2013 driving the second DS3 WRC.
At 2013 Rallye Deustchland, Sordo was in a stable third position in the second of three days, but after first placed Jari-Matti Latvala and second placed Thierry Neuville both left the road, Sordo found himself in the lead, with the Belgian just 0.8 seconds behind him at the end of the day, with just two stages to go. He eventually managed to hold on to first place and finally, after a nail-biting Power Stage and at his 106th WRC start, Dani Sordo won a WRC round.
Since the 2014 season, Sordo moved to the new Hyundai Motorsport team and drives the second or third car in selected events.WRC.com - Hyundai reveals its driver line-up Retrieved on 10 December 2013
In 2019, Sordo achieved the second victory of his career at Rally Italia Sardegna. Sordo, was second for most of the rally behind Ott Tänak, but the Estonian suffered a power steering failure at the power stage, giving victory to Dani.
A year later, Sordo won the 2020 Rally Italia Sardegna, his second victory in a row at the event. He is the only driver alongside Sébastien Loeb, Sébastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville, to win the Italian Rally on multiple times. In the next race in Rally Monza, after leading the overall virtually, finally finished third, helping Hyundai win the constructors' championship.Manufacturers’ champions in Monza Retrieved on 17 October 2021
In October 2021, Sordo renewed his contract through the 2022 season with Hyundai. After the renewal, he announced that 2022 would be his last season.Sordo - Next season will be my last in WRC Retrieved on 17 October 2021 At 2021 Rally Catalunya, after winning four stages in a row (SS15, SS16, SS17 and power stage), he finished third in the rally, achieving his 50th podium in the WRC.Sordo doblega a Ogier y suma su podio número 50 Retrieved on 17 October 2021
WRC victories
# Event Season Co-driver Car 1 31. ADAC Rallye Deutschland 2013 Carlos del Barrio Citroën DS3 WRC 2 16° Rally Italia Sardegna 2019 Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 3 17º Rally Italia Sardegna 2020 Carlos del Barrio Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
Career results
Complete WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points 2003 Dani Sordo Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII MON SWE TUR NZL ARG GRC CYP GER FIN AUS ITA FRA ESP GBR NC 0 2004 Dani Sordo Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRE TUR ARG FIN GER JPN GBR ITA FRA NC 0 Citroën C2 S1600 ESP AUS 2005 Dani Sordo Citroën C2 S1600 MON SWE MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRE ARG FIN GER GBR JPN FRA ESP AUS NC 0 2006 Kronos Total Citroën WRT Citroën Xsara WRC MON SWE MEX ESP FRA ARG ITA GRE GER FIN JPN CYP TUR AUS NZL GBR 5th 49 2007 Citroën Total WRT Citroën C4 WRC MON SWE NOR MEX POR ARG ITA GRE FIN GER NZL ESP FRA JPN IRE GBR 4th 65 2008 Citroën Total WRT Citroën C4 WRC MON SWE MEX ARG JOR ITA GRE TUR FIN GER NZL ESP FRA JPN GBR 3rd 65 2009 Citroën Total WRT Citroën C4 WRC IRE NOR CYP POR ARG ITA GRE POL FIN AUS ESP GBR 3rd 64 2010 Citroën Total WRT Citroën C4 WRC SWE MEX JOR TUR NZL POR BUL GER FRA ESP 5th 150 Citroën Junior Team FIN JPN GBR 2011 Mini WRC Team Mini John Cooper Works WRC SWE MEX POR JOR ITA ARG GRE FIN GER AUS FRA ESP GBR 8th 59 2012 Mini WRC Team Mini John Cooper Works WRC MON SWE MEX 11th 35 Prodrive WRC Team POR GRE NZL FIN GER GBR FRA ITA ESP Ford World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC ARG 2013 Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT Citroën DS3 WRC MON SWE ARG FRA 5th 123 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT MEX POR GRE ITA FIN GER AUS ESP GBR 2014 Hyundai Shell World Rally Team Hyundai i20 WRC MON SWE MEX POR ARG ITA POL FIN GER AUS FRA ESP GBR 10th 40 2015 Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC MONSWEMEXARGPORITAPOLFINGERFRAESPGBR 8th 89 Hyundai Motorsport NAUS 2016 Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC MON MEX ARG POR ITA GER CHNFRA ESP GBR 5th 130 Hyundai Motorsport N SWE POLFIN AUS 2017 Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON SWE MEX FRA ARG POR ITA POL FIN GER ESP GBR AUS 6th 95 2018 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON SWE MEX FRA ARG POR ITA FIN GER TUR GBR ESP AUS 9th 71 2019 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON SWE MEX FRA ARG CHL POR ITA FIN GER TUR GBR ESP AUS 8th 89 2020 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON SWE MEX EST TUR ITA MNZ 8th 42 2021 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC MON ARC CRO POR ITA KEN EST BEL GRE FIN ESPMNZ 6th 81 2022 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 MON SWE CRO POR ITA KEN EST FIN BEL GRE NZL ESP JPN 8th 59 2023 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 MON7 SWE MEX5 CRO POR ITA KEN5 EST FIN GRE CHL EUR JPN 8th 63 2024 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 MON SWE KEN CRO POR ITA POL LAT FIN GRE CHL EUR JPN 9th 44 2025 Team Hyundai Portugal Hyundai i20 N Rally2 MON SWE KEN ESP POR ITA GRE EST FIN PAR CHL EUR JPN SAU NC 0 2026 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 MON SWE KEN CRO ESP POR JPN GRE EST FIN PAR CHL ITA SAU 17th* 10* Season still in progress.
JWRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos. Points 2005 Dani Sordo Citroën C2 S1600 MON MEX ITA GRE FIN GER FRA ESP 1st 53
IRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 WDC Points 2012 Dani Sordo Mini Cooper S2000 1.6T AZO CAN IRL COR MEC YPR SMR ROM ZLI YAL SLI SAN CYP 15th 25
ERC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points 2018 Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 R5 AZO CAN ACR CYP RMC CZE POL LIE 16th 24 2021 Team MRF Tyres Hyundai i20 R5 POL LAT ITA CZE PRT1 PRT2 HUN ESP 12th 40
Footnotes
External links
Official website eWRC-results.com profile