HYUNDAI ENDS RALLY1 TARMAC ERA WITH TOP-FIVE FINISH AT RALLY JAPAN

Fourmaux leads Hyundai charge in Japan as team looks ahead to gravel return after difficult final asphalt outing of 2026

Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team completed the final tarmac round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship season with Adrien Fourmaux securing a top-five finish at Rally Japan.

The Frenchman, co-driven by Alexandre Coria, emerged as Hyundai's highest-placed crew after a challenging weekend that exposed the team's ongoing struggles with hard-compound tyres and front-end grip on dry asphalt conditions. Fourmaux finished fifth overall, ahead of team-mate Thierry Neuville in sixth, while Hayden Paddon completed the rally in seventh place.

Despite bringing all three Hyundai i20 N Rally1 cars safely to the finish, the Korean manufacturer was unable to challenge the pace of the leading Toyota crews on home soil.

FOURMAUX RECOVERS FROM EARLY SETBACK TO SECURE FIFTH

Fourmaux's rally began with frustration after an early spin on SS2 and difficulties finding confidence in the car during Friday's damp morning stages.

However, overnight setup changes transformed the Frenchman's weekend. Improved balance and increased confidence behind the wheel allowed him to climb through the order on Saturday, moving into the top five after Oliver Solberg's retirement.

While unable to match the outright pace of the frontrunners, Fourmaux managed his position effectively throughout the final day, avoiding unnecessary risks and securing valuable championship points.

The result leaves him sixth in the drivers' standings heading into the second half of the season.

"Fifth is obviously not where I wanted to be. I wanted to be fighting the Toyotas this weekend," Fourmaux said.

"It is a bit of a relief that there are no more tarmac rallies this season and that we can focus on gravel now. Realistically, a podium position in the championship is more our target than winning it, but in rallying a lot of things can happen in seven events."

NEUVILLE LIMITS THE DAMAGE AFTER SETUP AND HANDLING ISSUES

Fresh from his victory in Portugal, Thierry Neuville arrived in Japan hoping to continue his momentum but quickly found himself battling handling issues throughout the event.

The Belgian showed competitive speed early in the rally when softer tyres and damp conditions suited the Hyundai package. However, as temperatures increased and crews switched to hard-compound tyres, Neuville's pace began to suffer.

A recurring handbrake sensor issue and setup changes made during Saturday's stages further complicated matters, ultimately dropping the reigning champion out of the top five.

Although unable to recover positions, Neuville completed the rally without further drama and remains focused on closing the championship gap when the series returns to gravel.

"I was on the limit of the front of the car all the time and I am disappointed that I could not find any improvements on the car in terms of setup," Neuville said.

"We are looking forward to getting back on gravel now. We need to go and get some points because the fight is still there, and I am up for the challenge."

LEARNING WEEKEND FOR PADDON

For Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard, Rally Japan represented a learning exercise as they tackled the event's asphalt stages for the first time in a Rally1 car.

The New Zealand pairing struggled with tyre strategy and front-end grip during the opening day but made encouraging progress as the weekend unfolded. Setup changes introduced on Saturday helped improve confidence and pace, allowing Paddon to move closer to his team-mates.

A clean and controlled drive over the final leg ensured a seventh-place finish and another valuable accumulation of experience.

"Rally Japan has been a rally of two halves. It didn't start off too well on Friday, but we were able to make some setup changes and improvements for Saturday and Sunday," Paddon said.

"The tarmac rallies have been three of the most challenging events for us this year, but we have improved, the speed has got better each rally and we've done everything that was asked of us."

HYUNDAI LOOKS TO GRAVEL FOR STRONGER RESULTS

While the final tarmac event of the season failed to deliver the performance Hyundai had hoped for, Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley highlighted the reliability shown by the team and the opportunity to shift focus toward gravel rallies.

The result also marked the end of an era for the current generation of Rally1 cars on asphalt, bringing to a close one of the most spectacular chapters in modern WRC competition.

"To have three cars reaching the finish with no issues is a positive for us, even though the performance was not where we wanted it to be," Wheatley said.

"Now we can look forward to the second half of the season on gravel, where our aim is to fight for regular podiums on the surface that is better suited to our car."

With Rally Japan complete, the FIA World Rally Championship now heads to the legendary Acropolis Rally Greece, where crews will return to gravel for the remainder of the 2026 campaign.

RALLY JAPAN – HYUNDAI RESULTS

• 5th Overall – Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria

• 6th Overall – Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe

• 7th Overall – Hayden Paddon / John Kennard

KEY POINTS

• Adrien Fourmaux secured Hyundai Motorsport's best result with fifth place overall.

• Hyundai struggled with front-end grip and hard-compound tyre performance throughout the weekend.

• Thierry Neuville battled setup issues and a handbrake sensor problem on his way to sixth place.

• Hayden Paddon completed his first asphalt Rally Japan appearance in seventh position.

• All three Hyundai i20 N Rally1 cars reached the finish without major technical issues.

• Rally Japan marked the final tarmac event of the 2026 WRC season.

• The championship now returns to gravel with Acropolis Rally Greece next on the calendar.

• Hyundai hopes improved gravel performance will boost its podium challenge during the second half of the season.