Julien Moncet: “We had calls from people who were not necessarily interested and who became interested”

Did the announcement ofOtt Tänak surprised you?

I knew about it before rally of Catalonia. So there were no surprises on Sunday evening. Even though there were a lot of rumors and uncertainties, when he told us it still surprised us a little and somewhat disappointed us. That's how he made his decision. We respect her.

Do you think this has been brewing for a long time? Was he weighing the pros and cons, wondering what he should do?

Yes, he's definitely been thinking about it for a while. The reason there were so many rumors in the press was that the question was open, but we sincerely hoped that he would continue with us.

Did he tell you what motivated his decision?

No, he didn't explain anything to us. Ott did not give us a specific reason. He just said what he repeated in his press release, that it was a moment in his life where he had to make other choices.

Cela signifie-t-il qu’il n’y a même pas eu de discussion pour peut-être trouver des solutions pour qu’il soit plus heureux chez Hyundai et empêcher son départ ?

No. His decision was clear and clear.

In the way he operates, Ott Tänak can appear quite destructive with his harsh remarks towards his team or partners. Does he also sometimes be constructive?

Whether during briefings or debriefings, he gives us his feedback on all points of the car in a constructive manner. He's extremely demanding, but I think that's normal when you want to reach such a level. Afterwards, it is true that he has a character of his own.

Would you say that he is not always easy to be around?

No indeed, but it remains a great competitor. It's someone who tries to understand the car, to go into the details of the car.

Now that Ott Tänak's position is clear, could this allow the team to experience a final round in a somewhat peaceful atmosphere?

In every situation, there is good and bad. We are aware of what we are losing, but we do not know what we are going to gain. We will have to do the best possible with the drivers we have chosen. 

Was it not possible to field the driver you are going to recruit in Japan in place of Ott Tänak?

As we have not yet defined our squad for 2023, Ott will be with Hyundai in Japan. 

Seeing Ott leave, isn't there a risk that Hyundai will weaken?

It is certain that if we look at the candidates for the title, there are not 50 of them and losing one makes it more complicated. However, we will strive to have the best complementary line up possible. We may also work in a different way. It should be noted that since Ott's announcement, we have had a little more interest from the drivers as well. Everything remains open.

You mean your phone won't stop ringing?

Mine and that of the team manager! We've had calls from people who weren't necessarily interested and who became interested. For us these are additional avenues.

In Spain, you said you had a list of 7 names. Did she lie down?

It has indeed been completed, but everything will still depend on what Ott does... whatever he does. Depending on where he goes he will create opportunities for Hyundai, unless he takes a back seat.

Is it easier to have a big choice or does it complicate things?

No, it's always better to have more options than not enough. I hope we take the right person…I have no doubt about it (laughing).

Are you considering using multiple drivers to replace Ott?

This is not on the agenda. We want someone for the whole championship. This may change, but we are looking for some continuity, because these cars are still not easy to drive. Riding time and experience are also important. Alternation is good in some cases, but not always. There are also some drivers who don't want to do the whole season, others who are better at some than others...