New WRC sporting director Andrew Wheatley is bullish with team's target for next year
Photography by Red Bull & Hyundai
Words by Luke Barry
Hyundai’s new WRC sporting director Andrew Wheatley has set his stall out.
In 2026, all guns will be blazing. In his words: “We are going to win the championship in 2026, and that’s what we have to work towards.”
Hyundai won the drivers’ title with Thierry Neuville in 2024, but lost the manufacturers’ prize on the final stage of the season in Japan.
Its last manufacturers’ title came back in 2020.
This season has been a particular struggle, with Toyota winning 11 of the 12 events so far and already wrapping up the manufacturers’ title with two rounds to spare in Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Ott Tänak is Hyundai’s only drivers’ championship hope, but he’s 50 points adrift with just 70 left to claim.
Hyundai has promised to keep doing everything it can to support Tänak’s bid while it is still mathematically possible, but also has an eye on 2026 when the scores are reset to zero.
“Monte Carlo is, what, two and a half months away? And we need every kilometer in order to be able to get the knowledge that we need,” Wheatley told DirtFish.
Asked if that talk of Monte meant Hyundai was writing Japan off, Wheatley swiftly replied: “Absolutely not. We’re going to Japan to try and win.
“First of all, we want more information on how the car’s going to work. But it’s an event where the team’s traditionally done well in the past. And absolutely no, we’re going to Japan to try and win. We’re going to Saudi to try and win. But we are also working towards 2026.
Ott Tänak's Acropolis success is Hyundai's only victory in 2025 so far
“We also have to be thinking that we’re not far from the start of the new season. And we need to come out in 2026 with all guns blaring. We are going to win the championship in 2026, and that’s what we have to work towards.”
Part of Hyundai’s challenge this season has been understanding an ‘evo’ version of i20 N Rally1, which hasn’t performed well on Tarmac events. Tänak used the older configuration at Central European Rally, and he’s expected to do the same in Japan next week.
“I think that makes a lot of sense, to be honest,” said Wheatley. “Because, you know, we have gained a lot of data. And one of the challenges of this rally is the varied conditions. But it’s actually also one of the advantages for us as we look forward.
“We have had a chance to get more data on lots of different Tarmac surfaces. The choice is up to Ott but, for me, it’s a sensible option to go with what you’re fresh [with]. At least he knows what he’s got and how he can get the best from it.”
Hyundai has won Rally Japan once before, with Neuville conquering the 2022 event.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Andrew Wheatley, Hyundai, WRC, WRC 2025, WRC 2026
Publish Date October 27, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/10/U2X3e6pJ-SI202510171808-780x520.jpg October 27, 2025
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