Ott Tanak Switches to Older Hyundai Model for WRC Asphalt Return

Ott Tänak will run an older-spec Hyundai i20 Rally1 at the Central European Rally, a strategic switch aimed at maximizing performance on asphalt and sustaining his drivers’ title challenge.

Hyundai elects not to nominate Tänak for manufacturer points, unlocking a fresh engine without the usual five-minute time penalty under World Rally Championship sporting regulations.

Tänak trails Sébastien Ogier by 43 points, and Hyundai prioritizes his campaign while directing development mileage to teammates Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux.

After back-to-back tests, including runs without the hybrid unit, Tänak reports greater confidence with the previous-spec package on sealed-surface stages.

Hyundai’s 2025 evolution struggles to deliver consistently, notably during its asphalt debut in the Canary Islands, where reliability and setup issues limit performance and learning.

Team principal Cyril Abiteboul frames the decision as tactical, balancing a short-term points push for Tänak with longer-term validation of the latest upgrades.

The approach leverages WRC rules: nominated crews take time penalties for engine changes, while non-nominated entries avoid that sanction but cannot score manufacturer points.

Neuville and Fourmaux remain on the full 2025 evolution of the i20 N Rally1, debuting revised damper struts intended to broaden the setup window on asphalt.

Their programme targets validation ahead of Rally Japan, with comparative data against Tänak’s baseline guiding correlation and reliability priorities.

Tänak argues the older car generates more predictable responses over variable grip, crucial on Central Europe’s narrow, cut-laden lanes.

He expects weather swings and road pollution to alter adhesion rapidly, making starting order and confidence under braking significant differentiators.

For Hyundai, the split strategy reduces risk. Tänak targets outright points, while Neuville and Fourmaux chase learning without constraining the development run plan.

Execution now matters. Clean mileage, stable tyre temperatures, and rapid adaptation to grip transitions will decide whether Tänak cuts Ogier’s lead before Rally Japan.

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Zane Muniz

Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.