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Motorsport.com announced yesterday that Lopez, a nine-time world champion, had signed a contract with Hyundai, ending a long-standing relationship with the Citroën / Peugeot group, with its new seasonal contract 2019 and 2020.
Hyundai will play next season with Thierry Novell and Andreas Mikkelsen, while Loeb and Sordo share a third car with the last eight on Loeb.
While the future of Hayden Badon with Hyundai remains uncertain at this stage.
Despite Hyundai's insistence that he join Neville, Mikkelsen and Sordo in the first round of next month's Monte Carlo, Lopez will replace Sordo at this event to take his first role in competition on the I20.
The Sordo season will start in Mexico next March, which means that Lopez will also play the second round of Sweden.
Lopez returned to the tournament in a three-track program with Citroën in 2018, winning the Spanish rally, admitting that the victory had "rekindled his desire to continue racing at the top of the WRC."
"Joining Hyundai will give me a new challenge, I look forward to it, especially as the team 's approach and determination to succeed have made me feel at home. impressed, "said Loeb.
"They were in a close battle for the title this season, and I feel like I can bring them a lot, with Thierry, Andreas and Danny."
"The I20 has proven its ability to win because we know it can be in the lead with the best – 2019 is an exciting season."
Hyundai manager Michel Nandan has called Luppe's decision "very important" for his team, rival of the title with Novell over the last two years, but Sebastian Oguyet has denied it twice.
"We are very happy to have accepted two seasons in our team," said Nandan about Loeb's entry into the team.
"Our goal is to win the title, we believe we have the package to do it, and our 2019 driver lineup perfectly reflects that ambition."
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