Ott Tänak, Hyundai’s Estonian star, announced after last week’s Rally Japan that he will step away from the WRC. This means Hyundai must now find a replacement for the seat vacated by Tänak.
Hyundai’s sporting director Andrew Wheatley has said the team have already considered candidate options. According to Wheatley, Hyundai may opt for either a more experienced driver or a younger prospect – or even a combination of the two.
Among the more seasoned names are former Hyundai drivers Dani Sordo, Andreas Mikkelsen and Hayden Paddon. Kris Meeke has also been linked to the speculation, although it has been a small eternity since the Northern Irishman last competed in the top category – the same applies to Paddon.
With some reservations, Esapekka Lappi could also be viewed as a Hyundai option, although the Finn has made it very clear that he is no longer interested in competing in the WRC. At least not as a full-time driver.
Of these drivers, Sordo and Mikkelsen appear the most realistic candidates. Last season Sordo showed how valuable a team player he can be, even in a part-time role as a third driver. This year Sordo claimed the Portuguese rally championship title by beating Kris Meeke in the fight for the crown.
Mikkelsen has taken a break from the WRC this year, but later in the autumn he has kept his pace up by competing in national rallies in Europe. Last season Mikkelsen shared driving duties in Hyundai’s third Rally1 car with Sordo and Lappi.
Two Finnish drivers have also been mentioned in the speculation, both with previous Hyundai ties. Teemu Suninen had the chance to show his potential in Hyundai’s Rally1 car during the 2023 season, but despite expectations he did not secure a WRC seat for last year. This year Suninen has not competed in any rallies, although he has worked as a coach for younger rising talents.
Suninen has publicly stated that he is interested in a Hyundai seat. The same would surely apply to Emil Lindholm, who was part of Hyundai’s WRC2 line-up alongside Suninen last season. Rally1 machinery is not entirely unfamiliar to Lindholm either, as he carried out Hyundai i20 N Rally1 roll-out tests before WRC events last year.
But competition for the seat – or potentially seats – is intense, as there are plenty of interested drivers. Among those linked to the role are Nikolay Gryazin and Martins Sesks, who has already shown his ability in the top category.
Logically, Gryazin would be something of a risk for Hyundai, as his recruitment would come with certain complications due to his Russian background, even though he now competes under the Bulgarian flag. Another question is how much this will matter to Hyundai. Gryazin has several WRC2 victories to his name, although he has not claimed a win this year.
Sesks, on the other hand, represents the kind of young potential that could suit Hyundai. He still has a way to go before reaching the absolute top, but the Latvian is collecting experience and has started to gain a foothold in the top category. In addition, Sesks’ clean-cut image would appeal to almost any team – at least from a marketing perspective. He has contested six WRC rallies this year with M-Sport Ford and will also take part in the season finale.
Among M-Sport’s drivers, Gregoire Munster has revealed that he has been in contact with Hyundai. Munster is set to lose his funding for next year, which leaves his WRC future uncertain.
And what about Yohan Rossel, a regular front-runner in WRC2? Reportedly, the Frenchman has already agreed to continue within the Stellantis group, which would mean a move to the new Lancia Rally2 car.
Rossel has previously said he is not content with remaining in the second tier and wants to reach the top of the sport. Late last year he explored possibilities with M-Sport, but running the Ford Puma would have been too expensive. If Hyundai wanted Rossel in their team, it would at the very least be difficult for him to decline.
Hyundai are expected to announce their driver plans for next season before the season-ending Rally Saudi Arabia, which takes place in late November. It is possible that Hyundai may select two drivers to share the third car on a rotating basis.
Thierry Neuville will certainly continue as a Hyundai driver next season, and Adrien Fourmaux is also expected to remain with the team.
