Thierry Neuville and François-Xavier Demaison concede less Hyundai personnel focused on WRC isn't a benefit
Photography by Hyundai
Words by Alasdair Lindsay, Head of Digital Strategy
Hyundai’s efforts elsewhere in motorsport is having an effect on its World Rally Championship program, its technical director has conceded.
Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, will enter the World Endurance Championship’s hypercar ranks in 2026 – with technical director François-Xavier Demaison holding overall responsibility for both that car and the i20 N Rally1.
With preparations for a top-class WEC debut next season in full swing, resources have been diverted away from rallying and towards Hyundai’s Le Mans contender.
When asked by DirtFish if resources being diverted towards WEC was impacting the performance of Hyundai’s WRC program, Demaison replied: “It’s difficult to say no.
“For sure we have people who moved to the other project; we have people who are halfway between both projects, so it for sure takes energy out of the rally [program].
“We won in ELMS, we won in TCR, so we have other projects where we spend energy. We want to fight with Toyota and we have to find solutions so that we can do all these three major projects together and be competitive on all three.”
Attention within Hyundai Motorsport is spread on other projects - not just WRC
Demaison indicated that new hires would be sought by Hyundai to bolster the WRC team’s ranks, having lost headcount: “We have a development plan for next year,” said Demaison. “And also some recruitment of people to try to resize the team like it should be.”
Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville also suggested headcount is part of the reason for Hyundai’s decline in form in 2025.
“I know we are all working hard,” said Neuville, who has been with Hyundai since its return to the WRC in 2014. “But our team dramatically reduced [the number of] team members over the last few months, so it’s hard to keep on improving and doing development when you are less people.”
Though personnel numbers at Hyundai are down, development has not stopped on the i20 N Rally1. Neuville was dispatched to the East Belgian Rally last Saturday for development testing on asphalt.
But the dip in resources available to the Rally1 project means the performance impact may still be felt over the coming months.
“There is a plan of development,” asserted Neuville. “Will it bring enough, what it needs? Honestly, I think it is not the right moment for this debate. We know it has been a challenging few months, [not] knowing if the team continues or not, people leaving, two programs.
“I mean, you cannot fight against Toyota when the engagement is not the same as it has been before. Obviously now we have more insurance, but now to start the machine again, it takes some time.”
Hyundai has committed to the WRC for 2026, but has not yet confirmed its participation beyond that.
Words:Alasdair Lindsay
Tags: François-Xavier Demaison, Hyundai, Thierry Neuville, WEC, WRC
Publish Date September 30, 2025 DirtFish
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