On Thursday, it was confirmed that Hyundai is heading into endurance racing with touring cars. Hyundai Motorsport announced that it will launch an LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) programme under its Genesis brand, referring to a prototype race car.
Read more: Now it’s official: Hyundai drops big news – how will it affect the WRC?
It had already been considered likely that Hyundai was planning a move into circuit racing. This, in turn, has sparked speculation about whether Hyundai intends to completely withdraw from WRC operations.
In recent weeks, rumours have circulated that Hyundai may outsource its WRC program to a private team, which would run Hyundai Rally1 cars in the World Championship as early as 2026. Hyundai team principal and chairman of Hyundai Motorsport, Cyril Abiteboul, shared his stance on the speculation during last weekend’s Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“Don’t read into rumours. Summer is always a good period for speculation and rumours. You were probably writing around this time last year that we would be out at the end of 2024,” Abiteboul stated concisely.
“It’s also true that there were doubts because we weren’t sure where the sport was heading. But once there was clarity about the direction of the sport, it became very clear that this is where we belong. This is where we want to stay. We don’t know where the sport is going beyond 2026, and we need clarity on that. Based on that, we’ll be able to make plans and decisions. But for now, we’re here, and we’re here to win,” the French boss added.
Last week, Hyundai announced that it had signed a contract extension with Thierry Neuville for next year. This further fuelled rumours around the team. Has the team essentially only committed to next year in the WRC by releasing just a one-year extension with their star driver?
Abiteboul provided a logical explanation around this question.
“It’s a longer-term contract with Thierry, and it includes options. The reality is that we also need to understand where we’re heading. There are still several unknowns for next year. We’ve discussed the introduction of cost-cutting measures and changes to some sporting regulations and weekend formats for next year. Will any of that happen?”
“Our hope is to be here for many years. And we have a contract with Thierry that allows for that. But what we can confirm right here, right now, is that the partnership between Hyundai and Thierry has been extended until 2025.” Abiteboul said.
