Hyundai driver Sordo was struggling for grip before going off the road less than two kilometres from the end of the extended 49.9km stage four, introduced for the 20th anniversary of Italy's World Rally Championship event.
Sitting sixth overall, Sordo was fighting for grip from his hard tyres when he slid off the road at tight left-hander. The Spaniard elected to push on in the hope it would lead back to the stage, but instead the car slid down a steep drop, resulting in his i20 N rolling end over end at slow speed.
Sordo and co-driver Candido Carrera managed to roll the car back onto its wheels and reach the midday service, albeit in 20th overall, 3m16.2s behind leader Sebastien Ogier's Toyota.
“It was so difficult with the hard tyres and the car was so difficult to drive with the grip,” said Sordo.
“I just braked a little bit late in one right corner before a left corner and I went little bit out wide.
“I was thinking I would get a bit stuck there, so I went ahead and there was a big hole and we rolled.
“It was not a big crash, there was just a big hole and we didn’t expect it.
“We just hit the ground really strong with the front of the car and then we rolled. It looks much more serious than it was.”
Source: Autosport