Hyundai Motorsport makes strategic leadership move with appointment of Andrew Wheatley as WRC Sporting Director
Hyundai Motorsport has strengthened its team with the appointment of Andrew Wheatley as WRC Sporting Director. This newly-created role reinforces the team’s ongoing commitment to success in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) as it prepares for the remainder of the current season and looks ahead to next year.
Wheatley joins the team with immediate effect and will be present at Central European Rally, Rally Japan and Rally Saudi Arabia ahead of a full campaign in 2026. Reporting to Hyundai Motorsport President Cyril Abiteboul, Wheatley will support the senior leadership team, working closely with Technical Director François-Xavier Demaison, Team Manager Pablo Marcos and WRC Head of Engineering Jan de Jongh to drive performance and solve complex sporting challenges.
The Briton brings extensive experience of operational leadership and a unique perspective gained from three decades in international motorsport, including 28 years in WRC. Wheatley was WRC Category Manager at the Federation International de L’Automobile (FIA), before taking on the role of Road Sport Director, where he managed three World Championship series – WRC, World RX, and W2RC – and 15 regional championships.
Prior to his six-year tenure at the FIA, Wheatley was Business Development Manager at M-Sport for nearly 20 years, managing motorsport programmes for Ford, Bentley and Jaguar. Hyundai Motorsport will benefit from Wheatley’s experience in regulatory and competitive environments, ensuring the team is well positioned to navigate future challenges and fight for championships under his strategic leadership.
As Sporting Director, Wheatley will be instrumental in the day-to-day running of Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team. In addition, Wheatley will support the senior management team in analysing upcoming FIA WRC regulations and shaping Hyundai Motorsport’s long-term strategy in rally.
Hyundai Motorsport President Cyril Abiteboul said:
Andrew’s appointment as WRC Sporting Director is an important strengthening of Hyundai Motorsport’s leadership. As we diversify our motorsport portfolio, it is essential that we enhance the management focus for each of our activities. In addition to his unwavering passion for rally, Andrew brings a wealth of experience that will bolster our WRC operations, supporting the crews and Hyundai Motorsport’s senior management in the day-to-day operations in pursuit of success in WRC, as well as in identifying long-term strategic opportunities in the off-road categories.
Hyundai Motorsport WRC Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley said:
I am delighted to join Hyundai Motorsport as WRC Sporting Director at this very exciting time. This is a team that has the experience, skill, and strong driver line-up to win world championships. My role is to support our experienced team in every department, helping them navigate the day-to-day challenges they face and sharing my knowledge to help drive our performance. All the raw ingredients are there, and my goal is to work alongside Cyril, FX, Pablo and Jan to make our pathway to success as smooth as possible.
