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Motorsport

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Neuville: Hyundai’s WRC future is yet to be decided

Hyundai Thierry Neuville WRC Kenya Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai World Rally Team Motorsportcom World Rally Championship

Thierry Neuville insists Hyundai is yet to decide on its World Rally Championship future, describing recent speculation the brand has already decided to leave at the end of 2025 as “unfounded”.

The reigning world champion and Hyundai WRC stalwart has responded to a report in Belgian media that claims the Korean marque has already made a call to leave the category at the end of this season. It also suggested that Hyundai’s alleged impending departure meant the WRC’s top class would move to Rally2 machinery for next year.

Speaking after shakedown at Safari Rally Kenya, Neuville admitted the team’s future was “uncertain” but offered a firm response to suggestions that a decision had been made. Motorsport.com also understands Hyundai is yet to make a call on its 2026 future, although a decision is expected before summer.

“Like everyone else, we just learned of these rumours, which are obviously unfounded,” said Neuville.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1 (Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport)

“They were just thrown out there to create a buzz. It was a shock for everyone. It particularly annoys me because it shows a lack of respect for all the people on the team who fight and get up every morning motivated to do their job well and for the continuation of this programme.

"They are obviously afraid that it will stop, but I am in a good position to tell you that no decision has been made. Hyundai's future is uncertain, but until a decision is made, I think spreading rumours like this is not justified. We must leave it to the decision makers to decide what will happen.”

Hyundai has been ever-present in the WRC since rejoining the category for a second spell in 2014. In that time it has won manufacturers’ crowns in 2019 and 2020, while Neuville secured its first drivers’ title last season. This year it has committed four homologation jokers to improve its i20 N Rally1 machine.

However, speculation surrounding Hyundai’s WRC future has been rife since last season when the brand committed to the 2025 campaign, but would not comment on its future for 2026 and beyond.

The uncertainty over its future emerged around plans for the marque to join the World Endurance Championship, under its Genesis umbrella, which was officially confirmed late last year. Speculation over Hyundai’s WRC future gathered momentum when the team handed only a one-year contract extension to Neuville last September. There have also been suggestions that Hyundai WRC's programme could be run by a private operation from 2026.

Neuville previously admitted that his own long-term WRC future would likely be determined by what Hyundai decides moving forward. The WRC revealed last year that it would adopt new regulations for 2027, moving towards Rally2-specification cars, which it hopes will not only keep the current manufacturers but increase the number of competitors.

Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1 (Photo by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport)

Neuville’s team-mate Ott Tanak was also asked about Hyundai's future, adding: “Obviously at the moment so many things are fully open, I guess at the moment it is very difficult to give any explanation.

“I guess nobody on the inside knows what is coming for next year. At the moment it seems everything is open. I think the future regulation is open and the teams are open, it is all open.”

Speaking to Motorsport.com last year about its 2026 plans, Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul said: “We are exploiting the [homologation] joker capability in the best possible way [to improve the i20 N Rally1 car for 2025], and if we do that frankly we would not want to do that for one year.

“Our goal is to be here for many years and we have a contract with Thierry that caters to that, but what we can confirm right here, right now is this partnership being extended between Hyundai and Thierry for 2025.

“The decision [surrounding Hyundai’s WRC future in 2026] is not made, and we will talk about 2026 in due time. It is not the time now, now is the time to focus on 2024 and 2025, and we need a number of things for our plans to be formalised for 2026.”