Hyundai WRT

[raffrantic]

explain me what need trade Tanak for Lappi, knowing getting a boss with balls?

[Rallyest]

Because it was not Hyundais decision to let Tänak leave, it was Tänaks decision, and Lappi was the best available driver to replace him

[Fast Eddie WRC]

"I would like to extend my thanks to Julien Moncet, who took on the deputy role last season with determination. Under his guidance, we secured five victories and built strong momentum in the second part of the year."

Finally some official thanks from the team !

[raffrantic]

Seen Breen at recce but he no one's ouvreur?

[AnttiL]

Seen Breen at recce but he no one's ouvreur?

"recce only" to be prepared for next year full program

[flat_right]

On the Estonian Go3 channel, they had a guest there who organized last year's Rally Estonia PET for Hyundai and he recounted a story about the issues Hyundai faced during the event. On the first day when Ott was testing, the team ran out of spare bumper splitters and had to come up with a quick solution in order to continue the test. Initially, they considered making the splitters out of wood and even contacted a local carpenter for assistance. However, the carpenter did not have the right size and the team had to find an alternative solution. Eventually, they were able to find the right company who could make them from the right material and the testing was able to continue. Crazy story!

[Sergiow]

Regarding the WRC Rally Monte Carlo 2023, I hold my horses until Sunday, still 2 days and 10 PS to go. In the meantime, there is this from an F1 insider about Cyril Abiteboul:

"The move is interesting in that there have been some vague rumours around that Hyundai might want to enter Formula 1 in 2026. Korea is a big player in the global car industry and last year ranked fifth in the world in terms of automobile production with 3.46 million cars. The company has recently changed leadership and there are rumours of plans for a street race in Seoul. These are sufficiently serious for Stefano Domenicali to visit the city last autumn. It is not the first time that Hyundai has been rumoured to be thinking about F1. The last time that happened was when the first plans emerged for a Korean GP in Yeongam, in the south of the country. This did not happen because the company ran into a corruption scandal, while the Korean race faded away quite quickly because the location was wrong. "
https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2023...g-appointment/

Noteworthy to read to comments . "Abitboul suffered from the strained relationship with RedBull at a time when Mercedes were starting to comprehensively wipe the floor with everyone. I agree with Joe that he did accomplish a lot bearing in mind what he had to pick up and run with. He remains a particularly driven and focused man, extremely intelligent and in my humble opinion, more than capable of undertaking such an exciting project. He has nothing to envy a Rossi at Alpine in my opinion"

In the end, for my money Huyndai and F1 will remain a pipedream. It's already too late ... roll on future WRC!

[240RS]

Esapekka Lappi must be seeing a very good sports psychologist. His optimism after the Monte is to be admired.

Whereas an overall faster Dani Sordo was frustrated and baffled by his self-assessed lack of pace, Lappi was happy with his lot feeling he was growing into it. It's one thing to remain positive, and quite another to read what isn't obvious to just about anyone.

https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2023/wrc...uture-success/

[er88]

Yes, I also think Hyundai moving into F1 is a pipedream atm. They are already too late to meet the new regs in 2026, and we have seen how long it has taken Audi to find a team to buy over and commit. Porsche are also having a hell of a struggle finding a team to partner, talks with Red bull fell away and I'm not sure yet if they have found another team to go into a partnership with? Andretti and Cadillac also want to join, but seems they can only get in if F1 expand the current grid, but the existing F1 teams are crying about that because the share of the revenue would be diluted. Andretti are already building new F1 facilities etc though, which shows how much forward planning you need.

Hyundai won't be in F1 before the next again cycle of regs by 2032 onwards imo. Which can't be bad news for their WRC involvement, as they clearly still want to be active in various forms of motorsport and WRC for all its fault is still bigger than touring cars etc

[Kenneth]

Yeah Porsche to F1 probably won't happen.

But let's see. There is fight FIA vs FOM and teams in terms of opening F1 to new teams. I think it will happen. But there are more teams that want to join. I think whatever team will want to make own engines will have the edge.

So Hyundai to F1 can happen for sure, but I don't believe it will happen.