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Thierry Neuville declares “nobody knows” how Hyundai can overcome its ongoing performance challenges in the World Rally Championship after another disappointing outing in the Canary Islands. This season, Hyundai is still searching for its first victory, with the latest event underscoring the widening gap to Toyota. Neuville's closest attempt to win came in Croatia, where he led until a late error handed victory to Takamoto Katsuta.
Last weekend, Hyundai anticipated difficulties on the smooth asphalt, which has been a known weakness for the i20 N. Toyota dominated again, achieving a clean sweep of all 17 stages. Adrien Fourmaux led Hyundai's charge, finishing fifth but lagging over three minutes behind Sébastien Ogier.
Despite recent upgrades to the car, the performance gap to Toyota has actually increased. Neuville struggles to find the right balance for confidence, stating, “I never got any good feeling with the car despite trying.” Hyundai’s sporting director Andrew Wheatley acknowledged the team's current predicament and the complexity of the issues, noting that solutions aren't straightforward despite extensive efforts. As the championship moves to its first gravel round, Hyundai remains hopeful for a turnaround in performance.
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