Hyundai’s Mixed Fortunes At Central European Rally 2025

Hyundai Motorsport walked away from the Central European Rally with a result that tasted a bit like bittersweet chocolate. An Estonian driving pair clawed a podium place after a weekend of pushing and scraping, a French duo trundled home in fifth having wrestled with setup gremlins, and a Belgian crew saw their day end abruptly when metal met bridge. It was the sort of rally that leaves engineers with gray hair and drivers with lessons to learn.

Sunday served up 77.78km of Austrian and German tarmac, split into two loops of a short technical test and a long, gruelling Mühltal. The second run through Mühltal made history as the longest tarmac Power Stage in WRC, which meant everything was on the line and everyone was trying to squeeze more from the tyres and nerves.

Podium Salvaged After A Risky Push

The Estonian pairing were intent on damage limitation and recovery, and for the most part they delivered, securing their sixth podium of the season for the team and the 17th podium appearance under the Hyundai banner. They pushed hard on Sunday to climb towards the front, but a stray moment on one of the middle stages sent them briefly offline and cost valuable seconds. The final duel for second went down to the last stage, where they could only manage sixth on the Power Stage and slipped a spot to a rival Toyota crew, finishing third overall and picking up an extra Super Sunday point. Crucially, they remain mathematically in the fight for the drivers and co-drivers crowns as the season heads into its final rounds.

French Crew Battle Setup And Understeer

The French pairing had a weekend that can best be summarised as inconsistent. Early pace looked promising, but understeer on one of the later stages left them scrabbling for grip, and a misjudged braking point on the next test sent them off the road. They were back on the stages for the final run and cruised to the finish in fifth overall. Not the result anyone dreamed of, but the crew collected important tarmac setup data they will take to Japan, where these lessons might prove decisive.

Belgian Exit After Contact With A Bridge

After a strong Saturday that included a stage win, the Belgian crew returned to the stages full of intent, only for the rally to end painfully early. Four minutes into a morning stage they collided with a bridge barrier, prompting the cancellation of that stage and forcing retirement. Medical checks cleared them, and the team confirmed everyone was OK. The incident was a reminder that even the smallest note or moment of optimism can have big consequences in rallying.

Team Takeaway And Championship Context

The team’s management acknowledged the strength of the opposition and praised the event for exposing areas that need work. Hyundai will take the data and the hard-won insights from Central Europe straight to Japan with the aim of improving performance over the final rounds. On the championship front, the manufacturers’ leaderboard remains led by Toyota with 632 points, Hyundai sits second on 464, and the drivers’ table shows the leader on 247 points with Hyundai’s top driver positioned on 197. There is still work to do, and the team will keep pushing while the maths allow it.

Next Stop — Rally Japan

The WRC now heads to Asia for Rally Japan, scheduled from November 6 to 9. Hyundai leaves Central Europe with a mix of positives and questions, a handful of podiums in the pocket, and a clear brief: learn quickly, tweak the car, and turn those lessons into results on the next tarmac.

Zachary Skinner

Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.