As Motorsport.com reports, Thierry Neuville is eyeing a scaled-back programme in the World Rally Championship next year, with the 2024 world champion actively exploring his options as the sport prepares for a major technical overhaul in 2027. Neuville has spent 15 seasons in the championship, with 13 of those consecutive years anchored inside the Hyundai factory squad since the Korean marque made its return back in 2014.
That long-standing partnership could yet continue, though the driver is eager to dial back his workload. Neuville brought a tough 2026 campaign to a close by topping the Power Stage at the Sardinia season finale. Speaking to Motorsport.com after the stage, the Belgian driver admitted he simply wanted to attack the final test given the uncertainty hanging over the team's upcoming plans.
"It was the last thing I could do for the team and for myself as well, given what is a very uncertain future. I just wanted to smash it in the last stage," Neuville said. He added that he is relieved to conclude a difficult two years, noting his priority is to remain with the brand that has shaped the bulk of his career. "I'm pretty sure that for next year doing a step back is what I want. And I think at the moment Hyundai is probably the team who could offer me those opportunities."
Hyundai itself is facing a pivotal fork in the road. The manufacturer has completely ruled out building an entirely new car tailored to the 2027 regulations. Instead, the team has poured investment into developing a revised version of its Rally2 machine, which could potentially step up into the top category next year depending on final confirmation of the sporting regulations.
Cyril Abiteboul, the brand’s motorsport president, explained to Motorsport.com that the final direction will be locked in once the rules are ratified at the World Motor Sport Council on October 15. Hyundai is currently weighing three distinct paths: pivoting fully to customer racing with the Rally2 platform, continuing as a public manufacturer team, or adopting an intermediate model featuring a manufacturer-supported customer outfit.
Abiteboul confirmed that the brand's heavy investment into the Rally2 car demonstrates its commitment to the future, even as the marque's pure Rally1 journey comes to a close. Whether that revised Rally2 car takes the kit option to contest the top flight remains to be seen. For now, the manufacturer must decide its overarching strategy before mapping out how Neuville can fit into the project.
