Sweden targeted for Hyundai to debut upgraded WRC car

Thierry Neuville is hopeful Hyundai will debut its revised 2025 World Rally Championship car at Rally Sweden next month.

Hyundai spent much of last season developing a significant upgrade to its i20 N Rally1 car, but confirmed late last year that it will begin the new season in Monte Carlo with its 2024 car - minus the hybrid power unit as per the new technical regulations.

The Korean marque had originally planned to effectively homologate what would be a practically all-new car for 2025 before this plan was abandoned following uncertainty over the 2025 technical regulations. The upgrade that has been salvaged from that original project is likely to eventuate into being a significant upgrade that has required the use of four homologation development jokers.

Details regarding the exact changes to the car are yet to be disclosed by the team.

Drivers started testing the upgraded car last season with the development process continuing through the winter, and it is now hoped the revised i20 N Rally1 could break cover at Rally Sweden on 13-16 February.

“Hopefully in Sweden [you will see the new upgraded car],” Neuville told Autosport.

When probed further on the upgrades, he added: “It is good. We are very limited with what we can do but I feel comfortable in the new car.”

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

Hyundai’s team principal Cyril Abiteboul explained last year that he wasn’t concerned by the delay to the debut of its 2025 upgrades given that Monte Carlo is a specialist rally; a view shared by defending world champion Neuville heading into next week’s asphalt classic.

“It is not a worry [to run the 2024 car in Monte]. It is a specific event and anyhow, the [new Hankook] tyre will be the biggest struggle in Monte Carlo,” he said.

“There are lots of new variables with the changes on the car, without the hybrid unit and less weight.

“There are lots of things coming together and I have no clue how difficult it will be. It will depend a bit on how comfortable we feel in the car after a few stages, and that can be the deciding factor.”

In addition to changes to the technical regulations for 2025, Hyundai has undergone a management reshuffle over the winter triggered by the departure of its WRC programme manager Christian Loriaux, which came as a surprise to Neuville.

The renowned engineer played a critical role since first joining the operation in 2021 as a technical consultant. Loriaux has joined Overdrive Racing to work on the team’s Toyota rally-raid programme.

“It has come as a surprise and obviously, we are very disappointed that he left the team. But one of his targets had been achieved with [us winning] the drivers’ title and obviously, he has the opportunity to have a new challenge and I wish him all the best,” Neuville added.