Ott Tänak refutes rumors of Hyundai leaving WRC

At Hyundai, la saison est déjà à oublier. Le passage à l’ère hybride n’a pas été une franche réussite sur les sept premiers rallyes, avec une seule victoire contre cinq pour Toyota. Au championnat, l’écurie coréenne est déjà bien loin, à 87 points de Toyota. La i20 N hybride a encore du mal sur toutes les surfaces et reste une voiture très fragile, même si la manche estonienne a montré quelques signes d’amélioration.

This difficult start to the season brings back to the surface rumors about the future of the Seoul brand in WRC. Already present following the departure of Andrea Ademo in 2021, they had taken root with Hyundai's reluctance regarding the new hybrid regulations. The brand is however committed to the WRC until 2024.

Asked about this at a press conference after the Rally from Estonia, Ott Tänak wanted to be clear. “Hyundai will definitely continue, there is great support in Korea, says the Estonian pilot. Of course, everyone expected a lot, but let's say that it requires some very simple changes to the general structure. We are working on it, this year is going to be difficult, but in the long term it is important for the sport that we come back. »

hyundai “definitely need a strong leader”

Despite a podium on the Baltic slopes, the 2019 world champion did not hide his frustration throughout the event. With the i20s being capricious and underperforming compared to the Toyotas, the Hyundais were never able to play for victory. Ott Tänak still hopes that his team can bounce back from the next rally, in Finland. " We will see. I'm sure we can respond by bringing things in, but it's more about deep details and technical things. »

The driver believes that the departure of Andrea Ademo was a big blow for the Korean team. “All these years have been difficult for us, especially since we lost the team manager last year. It was a very difficult period, with the crisis in the world and the regulations arriving late. We definitely need a strong leader. » Even today, it is Julien Moncet who holds the reins of the interim team. This hole in the organizational chart is bad for Hyundai, which lacks a clear direction to follow.

Ott Tänak, however, reassures about the potential of the Hyundai team to get back into the game in the coming months. “The work is in progress and it will happen. We will continue to work so that Hyundai is in its place to fight against Toyota. But it is certain that they are very strong at the moment, they are developing and moving forward quickly. We have a big job to do. »

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