Wheatley looks to future after Hyundai heartbreak in Croatia
Hyundai Motorsport is looking to move past a devastating conclusion to the Croatian rally, where a commanding lead for Thierry Neuville evaporated just kilometers from the finish. Neuville, who held a lead of over a minute heading into the final stages, was forced to retire after clipping a concrete block, causing terminal suspension damage to his i20 N Rally1. Team principal Sean Wheatley described the moment as a simple but costly error, noting that the immense pressure of defending such a large lead contributed to the mistake.
Despite the setback, Wheatley highlighted the positive performance of Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard, who secured an unexpected podium finish in their second outing with the Rally1 car. He noted that the team’s technical reliability remained a key highlight, as the cars completed the demanding event without any mechanical failures. Wheatley emphasized that the team’s reaction to this disappointment in the coming weeks would be critical to their overall success for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Looking ahead, the team is shifting its focus to optimizing performance for the upcoming rounds, including the Canary Islands. While acknowledging the disappointment felt throughout the squad, Wheatley expressed full confidence in his lead driver and confirmed the team is already reviewing data to ensure they maintain their focus on winning moving forward.
