The team heads to Central European Rally aiming to replicate its previous success at the border-crossing event

Hyundai Motorsport returns to Central European Rally, the 12^th round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship, determined to build on its recent successes on the tarmac roads of Germany, Austria and Czech Republic.

Taking place from October 16-19, the event is renowned for its cross-border stages and technical diversity, promising a formidable challenge as crews navigate 306.08km of competitive distance over 18 demanding stages.

This year’s itinerary shakes up the format, with action beginning in Germany on Thursday. Friday and Saturday will see crews traverse roads from all three countries, while Sunday draws to a close with Beyond Borders – crossing Austria and Germany – and Mühltal, which serves as both the Power Stage and the longest test of the event.

Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team arrives as defending victors, having claimed victory in both previous events. Neuville and Wydaeghe triumphed in 2023, while team-mates Tänak and Järveoja secured first place in 2024 – a result that guaranteed a Hyundai Motorsport crew would win that year’s drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships.

As the season enters its final stages, the team is redoubling its efforts, starting with the decision to only nominate the crews of Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria for manufacturers’ points. With the 2025 drivers’ and co-drivers’ crowns at stake, the team’s priority is to provide Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja with the most competitive package for the remaining events.

Taking full advantage of the sporting regulations, Tänak/Järveoja will contest Central European Rally in the 2025 Rallye Monte-Carlo-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally1, equipped with a new engine, without incurring a five-minute time penalty. This car, which Tänak found particularly well-suited to tarmac during the season opener once the set-up was dialled in, allows him to fully focus on his championship campaign.

Meanwhile, Neuville and Fourmaux will be carrying upgrades to their 2025 evo-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally1 cars. The drivers will be running new damper struts designed to further enhance the team’s competitiveness; as well as a strong result, they will be focusing on evolving the technical package of the car for the rest of this season and beyond.

Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul said:

“We’re fully committed to the championship fight and pushing for every point. In a bid to support Ott and Martin, we’re taking advantage of the sporting regulations. As they are no longer nominated for manufacturers’ points, we’ve been able to bring a new engine into circulation without incurring a time penalty. Ott and Martin will return to the Monte-spec Hyundai i20 N Rally1 for this event, having reported a better feeling in the car in testing. Meanwhile, our continuous development of the 2025 evo car continues, with both Thierry and Adrien carrying damper updates next weekend. Their focus will be on further developing these technical upgrades for Rally Japan, and beyond.”

Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)

• Estonians vying for maximum points for title campaign
• Tänak/Järveoja claimed victory in 2024

Tänak said: “We’ve competed at Central European Rally a few times now, so we have a good sense of what to expect. This is an event that is very dependent on the weather conditions; there’s a lot of cuts and the road can become extremely dirty. The further back you are in the road order, the more surprises you encounter – every car pulls more dirt on to the road. Driving style is also key, especially with grip levels changing dramatically, particularly after rain. Experience really counts here. We are still in the hunt for the championship, so delivering a top performance is absolutely essential.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#1 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)

• Crew pushing for podium hat-trick at event
• Neuville/Wydaeghe claimed the top-step in 2023 and third place in 2024

Neuville said: “I always enjoy Central European Rally, because it’s not too far from home, but it’s an unpredictable event. Running in October means the weather conditions and changing temperatures make this event particularly challenging. We’ve experienced a lot of rain in previous years, which make grip levels really hard for us to predict. This, combined with the amount of cuts we take, increases the risk of punctures. It’s all about finding the right balance of risk and reward, and ideally we’ll have drier, more stable conditions. The recce will be crucial in helping us assess this. I’m determined to continue our podium streak at Central European Rally, so we’ll be pushing for the win until the very end.”

Crew Notes: Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (#16 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)

• Frenchmen topped Rally2 standings in 2023
• Crew hoping to capitalise on podium momentum from Rally Chile

Fourmaux said: “Central European Rally is one of the toughest events on the calendar. With low grip levels and stages that span three countries, it can feel like doing multiple rallies in one weekend. The stages in Czechia are narrow and bumpy with muddy cuts, while Germany and Austria have smoother and wider roads. This contrast makes it harder to judge the grip and choose the right tyres, especially with the leaves that tend to pollute the roads. After seven gravel rallies, switching back to tarmac requires a completely different driving style and tyre strategy; precision is everything at this event. I won in Rally2 here in 2023, but last year was tough. As the season winds down, we’re aiming to push hard and target the podium steps.”

Weekend at a Glance

• Cars take to the stages for the first time on Thursday evening, with two loops of Golf und Therme (SS1/2, 12.83km) marking the start of the weekend
• Friday’s action takes crews across all three countries, with two loops of Granit und Wald (SS3/8, 10.86km), Böhmerwald (SS4/7, 15.27km) and Col de Jan (SS5/6, 23.37km)
• Saturday is the longest day of the weekend, with two loops of Made in FRG (SS9/14, 14.30km), Keply (SS10/12, 21.95km) and Klatovy (SS11/13, 15.57km) covering 103.64km
• Sunday concludes the penultimate tarmac round of the season with two loops of Beyond Borders (SS15/17, 12.37km) and Mühltal (SS16/18, 26.52km).