The Korean team suffered a crushing defeat to its archrival Toyota, cutting Hyundai’s lead to just 17 points. With only two rounds remaining, the final rallies are set on tarmac – a surface that should be favorable for Hyundai.
However, both the upcoming Central European Rally and November’s Rally Japan will present tough conditions, with slick roads and challenging weather. Hyundai drivers Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak are at the top of the drivers’ standings, giving them a prime starting position for the remaining events.
For Hyundai, the Central European Rally is a home event, as it takes place across the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. The service park is located in Bad Griesbach, Germany, and while Hyundai’s rally team headquarters are also in Germany, they’re over 400 kilometers away in Alzenau.
“The whole team is very excited to competing on home soil again, especially as we are now at the crucial point of the season. We need to maintain our lead in all three championships, and a clean performance at Central European Rally is essential in eventually bringing them home,” says Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul.
“Thierry won here last year, and we know how strong he is on tarmac, so anything is possible across the weekend.”
Neuville has the chance to clinch his first world title at the Central European Rally, which would also mark Hyundai’s first drivers’ championship in history. However, the main focus remains on the manufacturers’ championship, which the Korean team previously won in 2019 and 2020.
“As well as the push for the drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles, we also have the fight for the manufacturers’, and we have three strong crews fighting for that too. Ott finished third here last year, and we know tarmac is a surface that Andreas (Mikkelsen) can push on, particularly following his WRC2 title win at the event in 2023,” Abiteboul continues.
“We want to leave CER having taken advantage of our road positions and made the most of the weekend, something we could not do in Chile.”
The Central European Rally kicks off Thursday morning with a shakedown near Prague. In the afternoon, there will be a Super Special stage in Prague, followed by the first forest stage in Klatovy that evening.
The rally features a total of 18 stages, covering over 300 kilometers.
