Dani Sordo facts for kids
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Sordo in 2014
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Spanish |
| Born | 2 May 1983 Puente San Miguel, Cantabria |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2003–present |
| Co-driver | Juan Antonio Castillo Carlos del Barrio Marc Martí Oriol Julià Diego Vallejo Borja Rozada Cándido Carrera |
| Teams | Kronos Citroën, Citroën, Mini, Ford, Hyundai |
| Rallies | 192 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 3 |
| Podiums | 58 |
| Stage wins | 229 |
| Total points | 1413 |
| First rally | 2003 Rally Catalunya |
| First win | 2013 Rallye Deutschland |
| Last win | 2020 Rally Italia Sardegna |
| Last rally | 2024 Acropolis Rally |
Daniel "Dani" Sordo Castillo (born 2 May 1983) is a Spanish rally driver. He is a top driver in the exciting World Rally Championship (WRC). Dani races for the Hyundai Motorsport team. He won his first WRC race at the 2013 Rallye Deutschland.
Contents
Dani Sordo's Rally Journey
Starting Young
Dani Sordo started racing motocross when he was 12 years old. He was also good at other types of racing. These included hillclimbing (racing up hills), karting (small, open-wheel cars), and touring cars (modified road cars).
His first big rally event was the Rally Catalunya in Spain in 2003. He drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII and finished 18th. That same year, he won the Spanish Junior Championship. He won it again in 2004. He also gained more experience in international WRC events.
In 2005, Dani joined the Kronos Racing team. He drove a Citroën C2 S1600 in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC). He also got a new co-driver, Marc Martí. Marc used to be the co-driver for the famous champion, Carlos Sainz. Dani won four races that year. These wins helped him become the junior world champion!
Joining the Big Leagues
Because he was so good, Dani got to drive a powerful Xsara World Rally Car in 2006. He was the third driver for the Kronos Total Citroën team. He quickly showed how talented he was. He earned podium finishes (top three spots) in his first few races.
This led to him becoming the second main driver for the team. He raced alongside the legendary Sébastien Loeb. Dani finished the 2006 season with four podiums. He ended up fifth overall in the drivers' championship.
Racing with Citroën
In 2007, Dani became a main driver for the official Citroën Sport team. He drove the new C4 rally car. He started the year with a second-place finish at the 2007 Monte Carlo Rally. He got on the podium six more times that season. He even led a WRC event for the first time in Spain. Dani finished fourth in the drivers' championship.
In 2008, Dani continued to impress. He finished third in Argentina and second in Jordan. He also won a rally in Finland, which was his first win in a WRC car. Later that year, he had three second-place finishes in a row. These helped Citroën win the manufacturers' championship. Dani finished a career-best third in the drivers' standings.
In 2010, Dani continued to get podiums for Citroën. He finished second in Bulgaria and Germany. He also got a second place in France. Towards the end of the season, he changed co-drivers to Diego Vallejo.
New Teams and First WRC Win
For the 2011 season, Dani joined the MINI team. He earned two podiums, finishing third in Germany and second in France. He continued with MINI in 2012, starting with a second-place finish at the Monte Carlo Rally.
After two seasons with MINI, Dani returned to Citroën for 2013. This was a big year for him. At the 2013 Rallye Deutschland, Dani was in third place. But then, the two drivers ahead of him had problems. This put Dani in the lead! After a very close finish, Dani Sordo finally won his first WRC rally. It was his 106th WRC start!
Joining Hyundai
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Since 2014, Dani has been racing for the new Hyundai Motorsport team. He often drives the second or third car in selected events.
In 2019, Dani won his second WRC victory at Rally Italia Sardegna. He was in second place for most of the race. But the leader had a problem on the last stage, giving Dani the win.
A year later, he won the 2020 Rally Italia Sardegna again! This was his second win in a row at that event. He is one of only a few drivers to win the Italian Rally multiple times. In the next race, Rally Monza, he finished third. This helped Hyundai win the constructors' championship.
In 2021, Dani renewed his contract with Hyundai. He also announced that 2022 would be his last full season. At the 2021 Rally Catalunya, he finished third. This was his 50th podium finish in the WRC!
WRC victories
Dani Sordo has won three World Rally Championship events:
| # | 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 |
See also
In Spanish: Dani Sordo para niños
