Hyundai has not ruled out the possibility of running a fourth car in the next year’s World Rally Championship, with a decision likely to come at Rally Japan.
Hyundai’s top management will be heading to this weekend’s WRC season finale where it is understood discussions regarding its plans for next year will be held.
The team is expected to field three significantly updated i20 N Rally1 machines next year with Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak already confirmed to pilot two entries.
The driver line-up for its third car is yet to be confirmed, although M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux has been heavily linked to the seat that has this year been shared by Dani Sordo, Andreas Mikkelsen and Esapekka Lappi.
However, a fourth i20 N could also be on the cards for Hyundai next year according to team principal Cyril Abiteboul, who previously outlined wishes to add another car to the team’s Rally1 fleet last year.
This option for a potential fourth car is among the discussions to be held this weekend and if it is given the green light, it could add an extra curveball regarding Hyundai’s driver line-up.
“We are close [with our 2025 plans] but after Japan that [announcement] will be coming. We have said to all crews that we want to draw a line after this season, which has been a good season, and look at next year and the ambition of that and discuss that,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.
Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“We have some people coming from Hyundai’s headquarters this weekend at Rally Japan so that will also be an opportunity for them to be part of the discussion and come to certain conclusions for next year about the set-up, drivers and cars.
“I still have the ambition that we could have a fourth car in our line-up and that is one of the discussions we will have over the course of this weekend and that could have an impact on our driver choices.”
When pressed further on the topic of entering four Rally1 cars next year, Abiteboul suggested that the extra car would most likely be entered in selected events.
“The plan is not made but we are thinking maybe certain events, selected events,” he added. “It is something I would like to try and do for a number of reasons, not least because I think Toyota will line up a large number of cars for next year.”
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