The sport doesn’t seem to attract new car manufacturers, and even the current ones are losing interest. There are rumours that Hyundai may leave the WRC as a full factory team after the 2025 season. After that, a private team would run Hyundai’s cars, but the factory team would no longer exist.
According to rumours, French team PH Sport would run Hyundai Rally1 cars in 2026. If this turns out to be true, Toyota would be the only factory team left in the WRC in just over a year.
Toyota’s team principal Jari-Matti Latvala admits that if the rumours come true, it would be a massive blow to the WRC. However, Latvala hopes that Hyundai would continue to participate in some way.
The rumours surrounding Hyundai intensified when the team signed only a one-year contract extension with their star driver Thierry Neuville. Speculation suggests this could indicate that Hyundai might be stepping back from rallying. Hyundai also confirmed last week that it is heading to the WEC endurance series under its Genesis brand.
“There has been a lot of talk about Hyundai. They’ve been considering going to circuit racing, and that they might continue as a private team in the future. The most important thing is that they continue. If one drops out, it’s a big loss,” Latvala told RallyJournal.com during the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“I believe and hope that things will continue, even if another team runs it. The factory’s financial support could still be in the background.”
According to paddock rumours, the entire WRC series might be up for sale. News agency Reuters reported earlier that the WRC Promoter is willing to sell its commercial rights. This rumour further casts doubt over the future of the sport.
“I saw the story and was really surprised that things are at that stage. Of course, there could be a couple of things behind it. They might want to make a good business and then exit, or maybe they’ve reached a certain level they were aiming for,” Latvala pondered.
“There are two sides to it. On one hand, it could be a good thing. When it’s sold, the new buyer might have new perspectives. But the news did come as a surprise to me.”
