Hyundai Motorsport Confirms Five-Crew Line-up for 2026 FIA World Rally Championship

Hyundai Motorsport has officially announced its full driver line-up for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), confirming a strong roster of five competitive crews who will represent the team across the season.

For the full 2026 season, Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe and Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria will contest every round in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1, continuing their established partnerships as they target a renewed championship push.

Sharing duties in Hyundai’s third i20 N Rally1 car will be three experienced crews returning to the squad: Dani Sordo / Cándido Carrera, Esapekka Lappi / Enni Mälkönen, and Hayden Paddon / John Kennard. All three pairings bring proven pace, familiarity with the team and valuable strategic depth for Hyundai’s manufacturers’ title ambitions.

Sordo and Carrera enter 2026 in strong form, having secured the Portuguese Rally Championship title this year in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. The Spanish duo, who have taken nine WRC podiums together since 2021, will kick off their Rally1 season at Rally Islas Canarias.

Lappi reunites with Hyundai with renewed motivation alongside 2024 WRC2 co-drivers’ champion Enni Mälkönen. The Finnish crew enjoyed an impressive season together, including victory in the Finnish Rally Championship. Their first WRC outing in 2026 will be Rally Sweden, where Lappi claimed his emotional second WRC win in 2024.

Paddon and Kennard also make their long-awaited return to Hyundai Motorsport, having continued to deliver success with the brand across New Zealand, Europe and Australia. Their résumé includes multiple rally championship victories and a memorable WRC win at Rally Argentina 2016. The Kiwi duo will rejoin the WRC at Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Hyundai Motorsport WRC Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley said the diverse line-up strengthens the team’s push for the 2026 manufacturers’ crown:
“Thierry and Adrien will compete in every round with a trio of very experienced crews sharing our third entry. Bringing in Dani, EP and Hayden enables us to call upon their individual strengths to support our title ambitions. With 2026 marking the final year of the Rally1 technical regulations, we believe experience and consistency give us the best chance of success.”

Neuville expressed his enthusiasm for another season with the team that has been “a family” for 12 years, adding that he is eager to rebuild momentum after a challenging 2025 campaign. Fourmaux echoed the sentiment, stating that he aims to fight for championships after a solid first year with the squad.

Sordo highlighted his excitement to return to Rally1 competition after his successful Portuguese title run, while Lappi described the call to return to Hyundai as a “wonderful surprise,” reigniting his passion for WRC competition. Paddon, meanwhile, said he is “proud and loyal” to Hyundai and committed to delivering strong manufacturers’ points throughout the season.

With a blend of proven winners, rising potential and deep WRC experience, Hyundai Motorsport enters the 2026 WRC season with one of its strongest and most versatile line-ups to date—aiming to challenge for the top step in both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.