Hyundai has already started to look to 2023, with deputy team director Julien Moncet confirming to Motorsport.com that the team was assessing its options for next year before last weekend’s maiden 1-2-3 at the Acropolis Rally Greece.
This season the South Korean marque has fielded full-season cars for Thierry Neuville and Tanak, with a third i20 N entry shared by Oliver Solberg and Dani Sordo.
Although Tanak has a contract with Hyundai for next year, speculation regarding his future at the operation has gathered momentum despite the Estonian winning in Sardinia, Finland and Belgium this season.
Tanak has not been shy to showcase his frustrations with his equipment, which has been unreliable on several occasions, and the team’s internal organisation. Speaking after winning in Belgium, he openly stated that he didn’t think Moncet was the correct candidate to secure the vacant team principal role.
The 2019 world champion was again left frustrated in Greece after Hyundai Motorsport president Sean Kim told its drivers to hold positions to safeguard its podium lockout. Tanak, Hyundai’s best-placed option to reel in Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera in the drivers’ championship, thus finished second behind Neuville.
Asked if he would be driving for Hyundai next year following the team orders decision, Tanak offered a cryptic “we’ll see next year,” as his reply.
When asked about Tanak’s future in Belgium last month, Moncet stated that he expected Tanak to stay with the team before saying: “I don’t make contracts. But I say this, even if a driver has a contract, he can leave, just like in football.”
Ott Tanak, Martin Jarveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
While Moncet understood Tanak’s frustrations regarding the team orders decision in Greece, when asked if he expected the driver to remain with the team next year, he told Motorsport.com: “We have a contact with him and we will discuss with him about the future like we do with all of our drivers. This is normal.
“Obviously when our 2023 driver line-up is official, we will announce it in due time.”
When pressed further regarding the future of Solberg at the team next season, Moncet replied: “We are looking at all the options for next year I cannot tell you much more.”
Should Tanak opt to leave Hyundai, M-Sport has emerged as perhaps his best option, with Toyota expected to field an unchanged driver-line up for next year.
Tanak has previous history…
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