Hyundai WRT

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Originally Posted by mknight

Over 13 rallies (full 2024 season)
2025 Fourmaux: 96 points, 21 stage wins, 9 stages in lead, 3 podiums (3x3.)

2024: Hyundai 3rd car (Sordo,Lappi, Mikkelsen): 117 points, 12 stage wins, 21 stages in lead, 1 win, 2 podiums (2.+3.)

2024 Fourmaux at MSport: 162 points, 11 stage wins, 1 stage in lead, 5 podiums (5x3.)

Would Fourmaux do as bad if he stayed at MSport? Prbly yes cause Sesks also seemed to confirm Puma got slower. Still if you compare expectations from Fourmaux and others at the start of the year this is quite a letdown. Speed was usually decent (no very bad rallies) especially good on tarmac, but seemingly at the expense of consistency.

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Fourmaux finally got paid. I doubt he had any salary in MSport.

With tanak retiring, who will be their 3th driver next year? We suddenly go from a lack of seats, to a lack of top drivers.

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Originally Posted by denkimi

With tanak retiring, who will be their 3th driver next year? We suddenly go from a lack of seats, to a lack of top drivers.

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Gryazin is crazy enough.

I don't agree there is a lack of top drivers.

Both Solberg and Pajari are ready for full season and have shown they can be competitive even against these retiring guys. So have the 3 drivers kicked at end of last year.

Rossel and Gryazin are the next after that with quite stable performances on all surfaces lately. Though off course they lack top tier experience.

It’s a shame he’s stepping back, clearly one of, if not the fastest guy when fully lit. However, it’s a time of change for the WRC, and it free’s up a spot in a decent car for next year for someone new to have a go. I’d prefer they look forward and not backwards with regard to a driver. With Solberg seemingly in at Toyota, Pajari hopefully ready to step on and maybe another now at Hyundai, that’s something to look forward to.
The phone at Hyundai is going to be ringing a lot!

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Originally Posted by mknight

Rossel and Gryazin are the next after that with quite stable performances on all surfaces lately. Though off course they lack top tier experience.

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Didnt Lancia just signed these two? Ohhh they must be so angry with a possible lost opportunity

The best solution now would be Sordo, consistent and still fast, he would definetely bring big chunk of manufacturer points. Also it could be Mikkelsen, since he already convince them 2 times, but I still root tht he somehow convince Skoda to enter the big league or at least manufacturer Rally2 cars (without him I think Skoda would not bother, so it would be bad for sport).

cough cough ~~ Paddon has been winning NZ, European and Australian titles "with Hyundai" over these last 4 years ~~ cough cough

Solberg is not going to Hyundai. After 2022 they were razor focused on a Yaris seat. There is no way Oliver will turn down that opportunity after all. Especially for a one off with Hyundai.

Rosell at Lancia, Solberg at Toyota.

The two (arguably) top WRC2 drivers have signed elsewhere. Meanwhile, a two-time champ is off to chase F1 dreams and Tanak steps away.

The options for a third Hyundai driver are slim, even Lappi has committed to the Finnish championship next season. Sordo would be dependable, but a year away from competing on WRC events. Hyundai doesn't really have a pipeline of junior drivers anymore, either.

What a mess!

Maybe just a two car team for '26? That would be my guess right now.