Rivals Toyota clinched a fifth consecutive constructors’ crown with two rounds to spare, but there is still plenty to be gained during the final weeks of the season, beginning with Japan’s tricky asphalt roads.
Hyundai’s pursuit of a title is also not over with Ott Tanak still mathematically in the hunt for the drivers’ title albeit his chances are slim sitting 50 points adrift of leader Toyota’s Elfyn Evans. With the title race still alive, Hyundai will be doing its level best to support Tanak in Japan.
“It is 100% crystal clear we will throw everything at Ott to try and make sure he has the best opportunity to be as close to that Hyundai’s plan to maximise FORUM8 Rally Japan fight as possible,” said Hyundai’s sporting director Andrew Wheatley.
“I think we have to be realistic, it is going to be difficult, but it is going to be difficult for the three Toyota drivers as well. We will be there working as hard as we can to pick up any pieces.
“With 70 points still available, Ott and Martin remain one of the four crews still in the fight for the drivers’ championship, but this event will require them to be in a strong position to capitalise on any issues for their fellow competitors if they are to take the battle to the last round.”
Drivers’ title battle aside, Japan offers Hyundai another opportunity to gather valuable data in its pursuit of closing the performance gap to Toyota heading into the 2026 season.
Following on from the Central European Rally, which turned into an effective real-world development test, Tanak will once again drive the older-generation i20 N, while team-mates Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux will pilot the heavily upgraded evolution spec versions of the car.
“We’re looking to Rally Japan with a view to continue the development of our tarmac performance, following the intensive work done before Central European Rally. While we can be encouraged by our steps forward in recent weeks – with both Thierry and Ott taking stage wins at CER – we need to keep the foot on the gas for this final tarmac event of the year, and ready for the start of the 2026 season,” added Wheatley.
Asphalt rallies have proved to be a weakness for Hyundai’s updated i20 N Rally1 car, but Wheatley believes there has been plenty of progress made since the Canary Islands in April, when the performance gulf between Toyota and Hyundai was at its most prominent.
“It certainly feels like it [we have made progress since the Canary Islands],” said Wheatley. “We are coming away [from the Central European Rally]] with fastest times and this rally has so many different surfaces and conditions, so it is complicated. It is a good step but we are not there yet.
“I think we have probably halved it [the performance gap to Toyota]. It is tough challenge and world championships are difficult and that is why winners of world championships are rightly very proud of their success. If it was easy everyone would do it.
“I think what is more important is we have had a strong rally [in Central Europe] where the team has been working as a team to solve the problems. There are some really talented people within Hyundai and a lot of passion and work going into the project. It is a big job and we need to keep pushing.”
AloJapan.com