Hyundai Motorsport 2025 FIA WRC Season Review: Q&A with Cyril Abiteboul
Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal, Cyril Abiteboul, has reflected on the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season following a campaign that delivered two victories, 15 podiums and important technical progress with the Hyundai i20 N Rally1. In a Q&A, he reviews the main lessons from 2025 and the next steps as the team looks ahead to 2026.
How would you summarise the 2025 FIA WRC season?
Cyril Abiteboul: “It has been a difficult and challenging year. We came into it after such a successful 2024 season and always knew defending our titles would be hard, especially with Toyota reacting as they did. They arrived with five cars and a very solid package. On our side, we committed early in 2023 to a radical new car for 2025 compared to last year. That decision brought long-term value, but it also meant a steep learning curve this season. So yes, challenging is the right word — but it was a challenge we accepted when we chose that direction.”
What positives do you take away from this season?
Abiteboul: “There are positives, obvious and less obvious. The two wins were fully deserved; in both rallies we controlled the pace. The team’s attitude was strong all year, and we never gave up despite the difficulties. We’ve also progressed in how we operate and react. The pace of the car was often very good, even if the final results didn’t always show it. And Adrien was a major positive. Bringing a young driver in is always a question mark, but he showed maturity, professionalism and real potential. He also helped us understand the car better, which will matter going into 2026.”
How satisfied are you with the development path of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 this season?
Abiteboul: “The development path of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 was a very large project, and with hindsight you always ask whether the timing was right. When I joined, the team was being dominated by Toyota, so we decided to go bold. The original plan was a completely new car; for various reasons, we delivered a major evolution instead. Last year’s success was almost a bit of a surprise, which showed that in rally, even a small evolution could bring so much. But our Evo car was already well underway, and we remain committed to it. The 2025 car brought performance improvements in some areas, but also uncertainty, and the season became a learning curve — understanding behaviour, limits and how to extract consistency. It was demanding, but the advantage now is clear: we have a precise view of the weaknesses and a focused plan for the coming year.”
This year has seen Hyundai Motorsport running two programmes in FIA WRC and endurance racing. What impact has that had, and how have you continued to invest in the WRC team?
Abiteboul: “Running two programmes is possible with the right structure and people. What made it harder this season was the uncertainty around our long-term plans for rally and the direction of the sport. Once that was resolved, we moved quickly. We put a new yet experienced leadership structure in place, with Andrew Wheatley and FX Demaison fully focused on the success of the WRC programme. The team is still committed, and with more visibility on regulations and a new promoter, we’re building an organisation that can support long-term targets.
Beyond what we’ve discussed, what were the main challenges this year – especially around drivers and crews?
Abiteboul: “Every driver has had challenges. Adrien adapted well and showed strong speed, but like anyone he also had difficult moments – some in his control, some not. What matters is how he learnt to handle them; being able to keep your mental strength and cope with the situation is what separates people who can win. That’s probably one of the huge strengths of someone like Sébastien Ogier. Throughout the season, Adrien has displayed a steep learning curve of mastering his emotions and coming out on top of adverse circumstances.
For Thierry it was different. Last year took a lot of commitment and dedication from him. The seasons are very long and a lot can change in a short time. As we have seen with Elfyn Evans this year, you can have a great season, lead for most of it, but with road order and cleaning, any buffer you might have built by the summer can melt away like snow in the sun. Thierry had to keep fighting until the very end of last year; added to that, there was no break. This year, the accumulation of new tyres and a new car meant that the load for Thierry was heavy from the start. Yet he remained professional, rebuilt his energy throughout the year, and didn’t lose his faith in the team. He challenged us constructively, which is important. And in winning the final rally of the season, we have the perfect dynamic, unlike last year, for a strong 2026 season.
With Ott, there was a lot of frustration last year. I think he approached this season very differently, and for a good period of time it was playing out nicely until probably two defining moments. The first, the Finland test after his win in Greece, where the car wasn’t where we expected it to be. It was a tough moment for him, but also for the whole team who had already pushed so hard up to this point. The other was the engine issue we had in Chile. Until then, the championship was very much on the cards. A lot is in the pipeline that will make the team stronger and the car better in 2026, and I regret that he won’t get to see the benefit of these. However, from a personal perspective, I understand his decision to spend more time with his family.”
Looking to 2026: will you arrive in Rallye Monte-Carlo with a more competitive package?
Abiteboul: “I believe we’ll arrive stronger in Monte-Carlo. Compared to last year, we’ll be better prepared. The organisation is more stable, the leadership structure is in place, and having our base in Fechenheim fully operational removes a major distraction. We can focus on extracting the performance from the cars and the crews. Of course it’s always relative to what our competitors are doing. Toyota will and their drivers will be strong, especially in Monte-Carlo. What gives me confidence is that we have a much better knowledge and understanding of the package, the plan is focused, and there are fewer moving parts than a year ago. This year was a reminder that absolute performance is not necessarily the determining factor; it’s more important to have a controlled and well-understood product, and a focused organisation. If we keep working this way, we’ll be in a stronger position at the start of next season.”
