Hyundai “needs to do better” and learn from “painful” WRC title defeat

Hyundai “needs to do better” and learn from Ott Tanak’s Rally Japan accident that contributed to a “painful” World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title defeat, according to team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

The Korean marque missed out on a first manufacturers’ title since 2020 in dramatic circumstances on the final day of the season at last weekend’s Rally Japan. 

Hyundai headed into the season finale with a 15-point buffer over rivals Toyota and was on course to seal the title before Tanak’s high-speed crash from the rally lead on stage 17, which also handed team-mate Thierry Neuville the drivers’ title.

Toyota had closed to within 11 points of Hyundai heading into the final day, but Tanak’s demise meant the 2019 world champion surrendered both his Saturday points and the prospect of Sunday points. 

As a result, Hyundai and Toyota were level on points heading into the final Power Stage, where the latter triumphed in a thrilling climax to take an unlikely crown by three points. 

When asked about the emotions of witnessing Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe win the drivers’s championship and his team losing the manufacturers title in the space of a few hours, Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul said: “For sure, we got very close to something, and when you miss that something by very little that is always a bit annoying and frustrating.

“But I feel we should give some space to Thierry and Martijn for what they have done and what they have achieved and truly deserved. 

“Just as I feel it is deserved for Thierry, I feel it is also deserved that Toyota be where they are, which is on top. I still believe this is where they belong, and we saw when Seb [Ogier] pushed on the final stage, Thierry couldn’t match him. We should take that as an inspiration and demonstration that there is still one more step to take to get to their level, which I think we can take for next year.”

Abiteboul admitted the loss was “painful” for every team member and feels as a team they can manage these situations better when titles are at stake.

The former Renault F1 boss has been pushing for changes to the regulations to allow teams to pass on more data and have more communication with drivers during rallies.

In the past, teams were able to communicate mid-stage splits to crews,…