Hyundai Motorsport Targets Another Podium at Rally Chile After Paraguay Double Podium

Offenbach, Germany, September 4, 2026: Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team is aiming to maintain its strong momentum at Rally Chile, the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship’s South American double-header, which takes place from September 10 to 13, 2026.

Hyundai Motorsport heads to Chile on the back of a strong Rally del Paraguay, where Hayden Paddon and John Kennard secured second place, while Adrien Fourmaux and Alexandre Coria completed the podium in third.

The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 demonstrated strong pace throughout the Paraguay event, with Hyundai Motorsport claiming 10 stage wins and leading three stages on Friday.

The team will now look to carry that performance into Rally Chile, although the event presents a markedly different challenge in terms of road surface, weather and tyre management.

Rally Chile 2026: 16 Stages and 311.70 km of Competition

Based around Concepción, Rally Chile features smooth and compact gravel roads combining fast, flowing sections with more technical stages and frequent changes in rhythm.

Weather conditions could play an important role, with coastal fog and mist capable of reducing visibility, while rain can quickly alter the character of the roads. Loose gravel can also accumulate away from the racing line, adding another challenge for crews.

The 2026 Rally Chile route comprises 16 stages covering 311.70 km of competitive distance.

Friday features a new route incorporating the Turquía, Nuevo Rere and Hualqui stages. Sunday’s itinerary also includes a new challenge, with the 26.82 km Carampangue stage replacing Laraquete.

Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Line-Up for Rally Chile

Hyundai Motorsport will field Thierry Neuville, Adrien Fourmaux and Esapekka Lappi in its three Hyundai i20 N Rally1 cars.

Lappi returns to the WRC for his fifth event of the 2026 season, having previously competed in Sweden, Kenya, Estonia and Finland. He will again be partnered by co-driver Enni Mälkönen.

Hyundai’s three cars will continue to feature the special livery introduced at Rally del Paraguay to celebrate the WRC’s two-round South American double-header.

Hyundai Confident After Paraguay Performance

Hyundai Motorsport WRC Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley believes the double podium in Paraguay has given the team confidence heading into Chile, while acknowledging the differences between the two rallies.

According to Wheatley, Chile is expected to feature lower temperatures and potentially wet conditions following significant rainfall in recent weeks. However, he believes the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 has demonstrated that it can remain competitive across challenging gravel conditions.

The team also used the unpredictable conditions in Paraguay to explore different setup options. With Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe running under restart regulations, Hyundai was able to experiment with a more radical setup, helping engineers confirm details of the latest updates.

Wheatley said the changes have widened the car’s performance window, providing encouragement ahead of the upcoming rallies.

He also expects the competition in Chile to be particularly intense, with five Toyota drivers fighting for overall success and six drivers having already won WRC events in 2026.

Neuville Targets Rally Chile Victory

Thierry Neuville arrives in Chile with a clear objective: to fight for victory.

The Hyundai driver highlighted the significant differences between Paraguay and Chile, particularly the gravel surface. While Paraguay features hard, slippery and compact roads, Chile offers a more grippy and abrasive surface that can be rougher and more heavily rutted.

Tyre wear is expected to be a major factor, with tyre selection potentially becoming particularly complicated depending on each driver’s road position.

Neuville has experienced both highs and lows in Chile, including a crash in 2019 and a podium finish in 2023. He believes Hyundai’s strong performance in Paraguay demonstrates that the i20 N Rally1 has the pace required to challenge at the front again.

Fourmaux Looking to Continue Front-Running Pace

Adrien Fourmaux is also targeting another strong result after showing impressive pace in Paraguay.

Fourmaux finished third in Paraguay and previously secured a podium in Chile in 2025. He enjoys the fast and flowing nature of the Chilean stages but recognises the precision required on the more technical sections.

The Frenchman believes Hyundai’s performance in Paraguay provides confidence heading into the event and is aiming to fight at the front once again.

Lappi Returns to Rally Chile

For Esapekka Lappi, Rally Chile represents an opportunity to return to a Rally1 car on roads he enjoys.

Lappi has competed in Chile previously and is looking forward to the fast and challenging gravel stages. He expects weather to potentially play a significant role, while the Friday stages will demand particular precision because of the gravel banks that leave little room for error.

The Hyundai driver is targeting a pace level somewhere between his performances in Estonia and Finland, while also focusing on building his performance throughout the weekend and supporting the team’s overall result.

Hyundai Motorsport Eyes Another Podium in Chile

Hyundai Motorsport enters Rally Chile with renewed confidence following the double podium in Paraguay and the strong stage-winning pace demonstrated by the Hyundai i20 N Rally1.

However, with a highly competitive field and potentially unpredictable weather, the team knows another podium will have to be earned.

With 16 stages, 311.70 km of competitive running and three experienced crews, Hyundai will be aiming to turn its Paraguay momentum into another strong WRC result in Chile.