Ott Tänak's future with Hyundai and the WRC is hanging in the balance
Photography by Hyundai
Words by David Evans, DirtFish Head of Media
Hyundai Motorsport president Cyril Abiteboul has urged Ott Tänak to remain with his team into next year, promising great things in the 2026 season.
The 2019 World Rally champion’s future with Hyundai Motorsport is hanging in the balance as the Estonian considers another season with the team. Tänak starts this week’s Rally Japan as the only non-Toyota driver with a shot at this year’s title, but he sits 50 points down on series leader Elfyn Evans with only 70 available.
Asked to comment on speculation about his future, Tänak told DirtFish: “I think at that time of the year, the gossips are always in place, that’s the same this year.”
On his motivation to remain at the top of the sport, he added: “I mean, I always [have] lots of passion to win.”
While team-mate and outgoing world champion Thierry Neuville already confirmed with Hyundai – and Adrien Fourmaux widely acknowledged to be closing on a 2026 deal to remain in an i20 – Tänak is the final piece of a jigsaw Abiteboul is keen to complete.
Tänak is yet to commit to a decision for next year - although Hyundai appears his only WRC option
Abiteboul said: “I think last year was a bit of a missed opportunity. He was not probably quite ready for the team. This year, the car was not quite ready for him. Usually in year three, that’s where you expect that you are going to yield on the investment. We know that rally is a long-haul process, and I’m making absolutely no secrecy of the fact that I would want Ott to carry on – I think there is only great things to come from this combination.
“But, you know, at the end of the day, he needs to want it as much as we want it.”
Tänak’s options outside of Hyundai are understood to be limited, with a return to either of his former teams Toyota or M-Sport thought unlikely. Tänak ruled himself out of the role of Kalle Rovanperä’s replacement, when he told DirtFish earlier this month: “If you look big picture and see the line-up Toyota has, [there has] been no need from their side to look anywhere else. They are very, very well covered and I don’t see any discussions on these topics.”
So, how confident is Abiteboul of keeping Tänak?
“I think it’s very much down to what we’re doing, and every little thing that we’re doing,” said the Frenchman. “Every little or big decision we are makin, is also going towards to show to Ott that we care, we mind, we want to provide him the platform for him to do the best.”
Words:David Evans
Tags: Cyril Abiteboul, Ott Tanak, WRC, WRC 2026
Publish Date November 3, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/10/DK02KDVY-2025CHILE_RT_084-780x520.jpg November 3, 2025
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