Cyril Abiteboul: “I feel that Hyundai really wants to continue in rallying”

In Greece, you said that you found that the WRC lacked ambition. At the end of the various discussions that you have had and the announcements that have been made to you, do you maintain the same opinion?

I do indeed consider it and these are the words I used during our meeting with the president of the FIA ​​​​in Greece. I took the liberty of saying that with the F1 the WRC is the 2^e discipline. Certainly, the Formula E is progressing, but it is starting from a very long way away. With the 24 Hours of Le Mans, endurance has a very good event, but it is only one round. For me, in terms of international championship there is F1 and rally. As such, we must not lower our ambitions. In the 80s, rallying was more powerful than F1.

What do you think happened?

There were some great strategies from different promoters. At some point, F1 managed to find its value proposition for everyone and rallying needs to do the same soul-searching to beat F1. 

Do you think the WRC can overtake F1?

Everyone says : " how to get inspired by F1 ", but I think that's not it. We have to do better and I have the impression that we do not have this ambition. I find that what drives us, what we try to do, is just to survive. I think that on the contrary we should have a much more aggressive ambition and come with ruptures.

Do you mean radical changes?

For example, there are two big decisions that have been taken which are to structure the sport around live television and the service park… which are two inspirations from F1. I think you have to have the ambition to reinvent a model and the courage to break what exists to start with something new. In this sense, I made very concrete proposals to the FIA ​​and the promoter to help us find our reason for being. Why will an F1 fan be interested in rallying, why will an e-sport fan do the same and why will a brand that is not present consider coming? These questions really don't have answers and that's what we need to focus on rather than how can we keep the fans we have today?

Is this reasoning that makes you say that if the WRC does not help you want to stay, you might want to do something else?

Me, I push hard and I want to play winning. I want to believe that sport will be able to reinvent itself. The loyalty of a manufacturer like Hyundai do not change. We are involved in a sport and I feel that Hyundai really wants to continue in rallying. The sport would really have to play against itself for us to decide to do something else. There is a major subject which is to know what this B range segment will become. All the cars are electrified here, but also for others. There is a turn to negotiate which is complicated. Hyundai seeks authenticity, that is to say a sporting competition in which we promote our vehicles and therefore we must continue to have a product strategy that is consistent with that of rallying. Here again, I made proposals in this direction internally, but also to the FIA ​​and the promoter to try to maintain this link which is important.

Would you be able to lead 2 programs at the same time with the WRC and the WEC For example ?

I answer yes, but this should not be seen as confirming anything. Today, there is absolutely nothing else to confirm other than the ambition to, one, win in rallying and two, transform rallies. Being the 3^e global manufacturer, Hyundai sells several million cars. Alpine will sell 1500 cars next year and they are in F1, at Le Mans, at Pikes Peak. I think we have as much ambition and resources as a brand like Alpine.

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