Thierry Neuville secured his first-ever drivers’ world championship at the season-ending Rally Japan, but the manufacturers’ title went to Toyota for the fourth consecutive time.
Nevertheless, Hyundai’s season can be considered a success, especially compared to the previous year. Before Japan, the team was firmly in contention for the manufacturers’ crown, which itself is a significant step forward.
While most of the focus was on the drivers, the Hyundai i20 Rally1 car – the key tool – received less attention. Team principal Cyril Abiteboul expressed a fairly positive view of the car, despite Neuville and Ott Tänak frequently criticising its behaviour during the season.
“It actually developed quite a lot this year. There’s a better understanding of the setup, and those things shouldn’t be underestimated,” Abiteboul stated.
“It’s not only about physically changing the car; you can achieve a lot through setup. Conversely, you can also miss a lot if the setup isn’t right,” Abiteboul pointed out.
Tänak, in particular, struggled with incorrect setups throughout the season. It often felt like the car couldn’t be tailored to suit the Estonian driver’s preferences.
“When we think about next year’s cars, we need to ensure we have the same understanding and authority over car optimisation through setups, even with a new car,” Abiteboul said, referring to setups.
Hyundai has made progress, but there is still room for improvement.
“Weight, centre of gravity, and making certain parts stronger—though not as strong as we’d like—are key considerations. For instance, Kenya has shown that we’re still very fragile in the overall transmission, but that’s something that will improve next year. Overall, the car has made a good step forward, mainly due to the understanding we’ve gained this year,” Abiteboul reflected.
