Hyundai doesn't have 'the complete package' to beat Toyota, says Ott Tänak

Six rounds played in WRC this season with the same outcome each time: a victory of ToyotaThis is the sad reality that we have to face. Hyundai, who is coming out of a new disappointment in Sardinia, with a second place inOtt Tänak rear Sébastien Ogier. And fairly this time.

However, the South Korean team had three consecutive victories on Sardinian soil. And therefore had good hopes of securing a fourth title in 2025, especially after a Rally from Portugal, where the i20s had proven to be the fastest despite reliability issues. This ultimately proved to be nothing. The Japanese team maintains its dominance in 2025, with Seb Ogier still at the top of his game.

At the end of the Italian round, Ott Tänak admitted to having come up against a stronger team, while having a car that did not allow him, for the moment, to finally get ahead of the Yaris. “It’s been a very demanding rally, and it’s frustrating to finish second behind Seb again. He’s been strong this weekend, and at the moment we just don’t have the complete package to beat the Toyotas.”, the Estonian believes.

Hyundai expects "a real battle for the drivers' championship"

“We struggled to find a good rhythm and balance in the car, but we gave it our all. The stages were extremely demanding. We knew we had to push to get maximum points while staying clean and precise, which was a real challenge.”, says Tänak.

However, Hyundai still has some positives to take away from this weekend on the sandy Sardinian roads. “It was another thrilling edition of Rally Italia in Sardinia. Although we were hoping for a similar turnaround to last year, unfortunately it didn't happen for us this time. Nevertheless, Ott closed the gap in the drivers' standings with the Toyotas ahead of him, and we look set for a real battle for the championship.”, says François-Xavier Demaison, technical director of the South Korean team.

“Overall, it was a frustrating weekend for us at times, but we are determined to turn things around. Acropolis Rally », concludes the Frenchman.

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