Hyundai firm on improving 2026 Rally1 WRC car while waiting for 2027 decision

Hyundai is no closer to making a decision regarding its participation in the World Rally Championship in 2027, with the team confirming its priority is to improve its 2026 Rally1 car.

The WRC is less than 12 months away from the launch of its new technical regulations designed to be more affordable and flexible with cars built to a €345,000 cost cap, in a bid to attract manufacturers and tuners to the series.

Currently, Toyota is the only mainstream automotive manufacturer that has committed to building a new car for the 2027 rules, with images and videos of its prototype in testing emerging on social media last week. Toyota is set to be joined by tuner operation Project Rally One, which is also well underway with its new car build.

Will Hyundai continue under new 2027 rules?

Outside of Toyota, fellow Rally1 teams Hyundai and M-Sport-Ford are yet to declare their plans for 2027. Hyundai has been particularly vocal regarding the WRC’s new regulations, with the lack of flexibility and technology in the powertrains among its key concerns for the ruleset that will last 10 years.

Last year the car maker ruled out developing a new car in time for 2027 but did confirm it has plans to develop its Rally2 car, which the team could field next year following the FIA’s decision to allow Rally2 machinery to compete alongside the WRC27 cars in the top class. M-Sport is understood to be favouring this as an option for 2027, with its Rally2 specification Ford Fiesta.

When asked if Hyundai is edging closer to a decision regarding its future in the WRC, sporting director Andrew Wheatley told Autosport.com: “No we are not any closer [to a decision]. We are working towards understanding what 2027 looks like and we are in regular communication with the promoter and the FIA to understand how 2027 is going to work. 

“Obviously the design team is working at 120% on the Rally1 car and that is our priority to try and ensure we can get the best we can out of the car that we have. When the time is ready we will have the information from our partners to understand what the next steps are.”

Pressed on the timeline for a decision, Wheatley, added: “That is to be decided. One of the things I have said from the start at this team is they can perform miracles but they shouldn’t have to do it every day. 

“I’m sure they will be in a position to understand what the timetables are and at what point they have to make a decision about what they want to do [in 2027].”

Hyundai’s 2026 season so far

Hyundai Motorsport, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Ford M-Sport WRC cars

Photo by: M-Sport

Hyundai’s current focus is firmly fixed on finding performance gains from its heavily upgraded i20 N Rally1 car as it bids to close the gap to rivals Toyota, after suffering heavy defeats in the opening two rounds of the season in Monte Carlo and Sweden.

With Rally1 testing limited to a set number of pre-event tests, Hyundai has spread its testing across both the Rally1 and Rally2 cars, with the latter being utilised by its Rally1 drivers to gather crucial data to help extract the maximum from the Hankook tyres.

“Absolutely, the Rally2 car is now a key part of the testing programme,” said Wheatley. 

“We use it primarily to do the tyre work because we do have a limited number of days so we are using it to get the base work on the tyres which I think is important. The Rally2 car is enough to do that and is particularly quick on tarmac. 

“The side effect of that is we have some of the best drivers in the world driving the Rally2 car every month if not every couple of weeks. The customer racing team inside Hyundai is getting some really good feedback on how to improve the car. From the Rally2 side it has been really useful.”

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– The Autosport.com Team