Hyundai Learns Hard Lessons After Rally Japan Drama
2025 rally japan 01
It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for Hyundai Motorsport at Rally Japan. What began with promise finished with a bitter aftertaste as two crews were forced out and another clawed back to fourth. Valuable data was gathered, confidence was tested, and a few hard lessons were learned.
Sunday Stages And Conditions
The final day served up 72.38 kilometres of stages, run as two loops of Nukata (20.23 km), Lake Mikawako (13.98 km) and the short Okazaki sprint (1.98 km). Wet and changeable conditions kept everyone honest and ensured there was no hiding place for any lingering setup problems.
Recovery To Fourth
One crew that began the day on the back foot found its rhythm once the heavens opened. After a difficult start to the weekend they finally unlocked better balance in the i20 N Rally1, taking a stage win on the first run of Nukata and following with three more top-three times. A puncture on Lake Mikawako was a nuisance, not a catastrophe, and the crew’s charge earned them fourth overall plus a couple of Super Sunday points – a tidy bit of salvage after earlier struggles.
Mist, Metal And Mechanical Failures
The most dramatic retirements came for the team’s other two entries. On the first stage of the day a French crew misjudged a mist-shrouded corner, ran wide into the bank and into the trees. The impact ripped off the passenger door and with it the time card, so there was no option but to stop. They had been running highest of the team for much of the event and depart with tarmac learnings to carry into next year.
Separately, the Belgian crew’s final day never really started. An electrical fault en route to the first stage knocked out the windscreen wipers, rendering the car unsafe to continue in the wet and forcing retirement before the stages resumed.
Positives To Take Away
Despite the setbacks, this rally was not without merit for Hyundai Motorsport. The evo-spec car showed genuine progress on tarmac in tricky conditions and the team collected a useful bulk of data. The younger crew members also made noticeable steps forward in pace and composure. With the season finale a return to gravel in a brand-new event, the team heads into the unknown with cautious optimism and a clearer picture of where the car needs to be.
Crew Reactions And Next Steps
The crew that recovered to fourth admitted the day was demanding but enjoyable once the car felt more controllable, and emphasised the need to investigate the niggling issues encountered earlier in the weekend. The French crew took comfort in the fact both occupants walked away and stressed that, while disappointing, the weekend proved they can mix it at the front on tarmac. The crew sidelined by the electrical fault expressed frustration at the timing but insisted they will reset and be ready for the next challenge.
From the team’s sporting leadership came a pragmatic note: tricky day, yes, but clear positives too. The evo car has pace in mixed tarmac conditions, meaningful data has been collected, and the team will head to Rally Saudi Arabia aiming to make the most of a surface that historically suits their cars.
The season finale in Saudi Arabia runs from November 25 to 29 and will close out the year on gravel, a very different prospect to the damp roads of Japan.
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.
