Hyundai Motorsport president Cyril Abiteboul has told DirtFish the Korean manufacturer potentially joining the World Endurance Championship wouldn’t necessarily mean an end to its World Rally Championship effort.
Hyundai has been competing in the WRC since 2014, but speculation regarding its future has never been more intense than right now, with several sources indicating work on a Le Mans-bound race car is already underway in the team’s German base.
Asked about plans for a Le Mans car, Abiteboul said: “I haven’t confirmed any of that and that’s part of what may – or may not – be announced. There is a lot of speculation, we’ve been looking at different options. One thing that I can, because I want to, confirm is that you can count on us and on the staff of Hyundai Motorsport in WRC next year. That’s as far as I can go. For the rest, I’m sorry, but you need to wait a little bit.
“One thing we can do is several programs at the same time. Absolutely it doesn’t necessarily mean [the end to WRC if a Le Mans program is announced]. The answers will come in due course.”
Having previously confirmed his team would be present in WRC until the end of 2026, Abiteboul was pressed, as president of motorsport, to clarify his decisions and Hyundai’s position on 2026. He added: “I am president of the execution of a strategy that is decided absolutely above my level. I’m not deciding to do this or that or stay or leave or go, whatsoever.
“I report to a number of people including a CEO, chairman, head of brand, N brand, and all these people are involved in the decision-making process and that’s why, sorry to say it like that, but you need to leave them. They’ve got the prerogative to exactly announce our plans and we will be doing so after the summer break.”
That announcement is expected from Hyundai’s Seoul HQ in the coming weeks.
