After coming agonisingly close to a drivers' and manufacturers' double title success in 2024, Hyundai found itself resoundingly beaten by rivals Toyota in the World Rally Championship last season, winning just two rallies (Greece, Saudi Arabia) compared to Toyota’s tally of 12 wins.
Hyundai's 2025 struggles can be pinned on a number of variables. The squad heavily invested in an ‘Evo’ version of its i20 N, and while it made strides on fast gravel rallies its operating window was narrow. The car particularly struggled on asphalt, and when conditions became bumpy and slippery. The introduction of a new control tyre in Hankook only added to the challenge in unlocking consistent speed from the car. Hyundai’s resources being stretched by its decision to prepare a factory programme in the World Endurance Championship, under the Genesis brand, played a part, with all this unfolding while the team relocated to a new base in Offenbach, Germany.
