Hyundai set for WRC restructure as team manager departs next month
Hyundai Motorsport has confirmed its long-time team manager Alain Penasse will leave the title winning World Rally Championship squad after next month’s Rally Estonia.


The Korean manufacturer has decided not to renew Penasse’s contract and will undergo a restructure of its squad mid-season.
Penasse was a key figure in Hyundai’s return to the WRC in 2013 and has played a part in building the team into a championship winning outfit, alongside team boss Andrea Adamo, resulting in back-to-back manufacturer titles in 2019 and 2020.
The news of his impending departure arrives while the squad is competing and currently leading the Safari Rally in Kenya courtesy of Thierry Neuville.
Hyundai Motorsport has issued a brief statement confirming the departure of its contractor Penasse, while paying tribute to the Belgian’s work at the Alzenau-based operation.
Penasse’s final event with the team will be Rally Estonia on 15-18 July with his replacement yet to be announced.
“We can confirm Team Manager Alain Penasse will leave Hyundai Motorsport after Rally Estonia in July,” read a statement issued to Autosport.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
Photo by: Romain Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
“It has been decided between Hyundai Motorsport and Alain Penasse that the contractor agreement would not be renewed and we have taken the chance to restructure our team with a smooth handover until Rally Estonia.
“We would like to thank Alain for his major contribution to the team’s success and for his job over these years. He played an important role in building and running the team from the start of our WRC journey.”
Hyundai’s team restructure will take place at a key moment in the season as it fights for the 2021 world championship against Toyota and its drivers title contenders Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans.
The outfit is also working hard on developing its new car to comply with the WRC’s new Rally1 hybrid regulations which will come into force next year.
Hyundai released images of its new car last month as testing continues to ramp up ahead of the WRC’s new era.
Related video

WRC Safari: Evans rues clumsy error in “painful” retirement
WRC Safari: Neuville extends lead over Katsuta after brush with wildlife

Latest news
WRC Rally Belgium: Everything you need to know
The World Rally Championship heads to the asphalt roads of Ypres Rally Belgium this weekend, with Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera facing a slim prospect of wrapping up the title.
Third-generation McRae eyeing Junior WRC graduation for 2023
Third generation driver Max McRae is working hard towards stepping up to the Junior class of the World Rally Championship next season, following a test in a JWRC car.
Ex-F1 racer Kovalainen plans Japan WRC entry, eyes European outings
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen is pressing ahead with preparations for a one-off WRC outing in Japan in November and plans to contest more events in Europe in the near-future.
Hyundai cautiously optimistic after shock Finland WRC win
An unexpected victory in Finland has left Hyundai Motorsport cautiously optimistic it has turned a corner after a difficult start to the World Rally Championship's new hybrid era.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause