Estonian joins our WRC line-up from 2020
There will be a new face behind the wheel of our i20 Coupe WRC from 2020, as we have signed a two-year deal with Ott Tänak. The Estonian driver will contest two full campaigns with our team, starting at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January.
“I am really excited to join Hyundai Motorsport from the 2020 WRC season,” said Ott. “The vision that Andrea has set out is very promising and matches my own ambitions for the future. It’s a big honour for me to have the opportunity to join the team at this exciting stage of our respective careers.”
The announcement confirms four drivers for three i20 Coupe WRC cars next season, our seventh in the competitive championship.
Ott added: “I have big respect for what Hyundai has accomplished; we’ve been fighting closely against each other for a number of seasons. They have always had a competitive team and car, so now it will be interesting to see things from the other side. The driver line-up is good, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming years.”
New look line-up
The calendar for next year includes new territories for our team with rallies in Kenya, New Zealand and Japan, requiring a versatile and well-rounded line-up of crews who are capable of competing at the front of the field at each event.
“Signing a two-year deal with Ott is a demonstration of Hyundai’s continued commitment and ambitions in the World Rally Championship,” said our Team Director Andrea. “We are involved in a very close fight for the title this season. Bringing Ott and Martin into the team from 2020 will enable us to continue to be at the forefront for the coming years. He is an exceptional talent, as we have all seen, impressively quick and consistent on all terrains and he will be a real asset to Hyundai Motorsport.”
Ott will join Thierry for a full season, while Dani and Sébastien will share the third car throughout the year. We also remain in discussion with Andreas and Craig regarding a possible WRC collaboration in 2020.
Andrea added: “With this announcement, we have four crews confirmed for the 2020 season; Thierry and Ott will contest all 14 rounds on the calendar in their own i20 Coupe WRC, with Dani and Sébastien sharing a third car. It is a potent and inspiring crew line-up, which will set a high benchmark to which the entire team will aspire. We also remain in conversation with Andreas and Craig to see how we might be able to collaborate in WRC next season.”
