Hyundai will compete “better prepared” and “stronger” in the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year, according to team boss Cyril Abiteboul, after the team endured a difficult season in 2025.
“I think we will arrive in Monte Carlo stronger. Compared to last year, we will be better prepared,” says Abiteboul. “The organization is more stable, the leadership structure is in place, and the fact that our base in Fechenheim is fully operational eliminates a major distraction.”
The Korean brand had to admit defeat last season and only achieved two victories at the Acropolis Rally in Greece and Saudi Arabia. Rival Toyota, on the other hand, secured its fifth manufacturers’ title in a row with an impressive twelve victories and also won the drivers’ title with Sebastien Ogier.
Strategic decision becomes a hurdle for Hyundai
Hyundai decided to introduce the new “Evo” model of the i20 N Rally1 at the Rally Sweden in February. While the redesigned car made progress, particularly in fast gravel rallies, it struggled on tarmac and in low-grip conditions. The vehicle was also hampered by a number of technical reliability issues.
Reflecting on the decision made back in 2023 to fundamentally redesign the car for 2025, Abiteboul said: “It was a difficult and challenging year. We came here after such a successful 2024 season and always knew that defending our titles would be tough, especially given Toyota’s reaction. They came with five cars and a very solid package.”
“On our side, in early 2023 we decided on a radically new car for 2025 compared to last year. This decision brought long-term value, but also meant a steep learning curve this season. So yes, challenging is the right word, but it was a challenge that we accepted when we chose this direction.”
Development path of the i20 N Rally1 “a very big project”
The team boss continued: “The development path of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 was a very large project, and in hindsight you always wonder whether the timing was right.”
“When I joined, the team was dominated by Toyota, so we decided to make a bold move. The original plan was a completely new car. For various reasons, we delivered a major evolution instead. Last year’s success [2024] was almost a little surprising, showing that even a small evolution can achieve so much in rallying. But our Evo car was already well advanced and we remain committed to this path.”
“The 2025 car brought performance improvements in some areas, but also uncertainty, and the season became a learning curve to understand the behavior, the limits and how to get consistency. It was demanding, but the advantage is now clear: we have a precise view of the weaknesses and a focused plan for the coming year.”
Success with new leadership?
Hyundai is expected to use the so-called homologation jokers available to all teams for the final year of the current Rally1 regulations in 2026 to make further improvements to the i20 N and close the gap with Toyota.
This, coupled with a new leadership structure led by sporting director Andrew Wheatley and lessons learned in 2025, gives Abiteboul confidence that Hyundai will have a much stronger showing at the season opener in Monte Carlo next month.
“We can concentrate on getting the performance out of the cars and the crews. Of course that is always relative to what our competitors are doing. Toyota will be strong and their drivers will be strong, especially in Monte Carlo,” said the Frenchman.
“What gives me confidence is that we have a much better knowledge and understanding of the package, the plan is focused and there are fewer moving parts than a year ago. This year has been a reminder that absolute performance is not necessarily the deciding factor. It is more important to have a controlled and well-understood product and a focused organization. If we continue to work like this, we will be in a stronger position at the start of next season.”