Hyundai Gears Up For A Daring Finish In Saudi Arabia
hyundai i20 n rally1 003
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team arrives in Jeddah for Rally Saudi Arabia, the final curtain call of the 2025 WRC season. It is a brand-new event, a blank sheet of paper and a whole lot of sand, and the brief is simple: get three cars through the unknown and leave with something worth smiling about.
Rally Saudi Arabia: The Unknown Desert Beast
This is the WRC’s Middle Eastern debut since 2010, and it will not be gentle. Service will be based at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, but the action stretches for 319.64 kilometres across deserts, mountain passes and the odd cityscape. Nobody has genuine experience of these stages, which means pacenotes and instinct will matter far more than memory. Hyundai will lean on its gravel heritage and hope that hard-won experience on rough surfaces pays off where the maps run out.
A Farewell Tour For The Estonian Crew
The Estonian crew will use Jeddah as their final WRC outing of the year. They return to the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 for one last dance and will be counting on the car’s proven ability over rough gravel. Five of their six podiums this season came on gravel, so they know how to handle a loose surface. The aim is modest in words and bold in intent: finish the year on a high note.
Belgian Crew Focuses On Reliability
The Belgian crew arrive after a weekend plagued by technical gremlins in Japan. They have claimed three gravel podiums this year, which proves both pace and resilience when things go right. For Saudi, their priorities are straightforward: a robust car, high ride height to fend off punctures and loose stones, and careful tyre management. After a testing season, the plan is to push where it matters and bring the car home intact.
French Pair Seek One Last Surprise
The French duo have used 2025 to learn fast and climb the order, scoring podiums early and often in their debut year with the team. Their recent gravel form suggests they will be comfortable on rough, sandy terrain that alternates between fast and soft patches. A win would be the perfect season finale, and they are entering Jeddah hoping that experience and a bit of daring will be enough.
Event Format And What To Expect
Rally Saudi Arabia adopts a mid-week schedule to fit the local working week. Competition gets underway on Wednesday evening with a short Super Special and finishes on Saturday afternoon after a gruelling final day. Thursday is relentless with seven stages including two runs each of Al Faisaliyah, Moon Stage and Khulaisiyah, bookended by the Super Special. Friday features six stages, among them long tests at Um Al Jerem (30.58 km) and Wadi Almatwi (28.59 km). The finale throws the event’s longest test at the crews: the treacherous Asfan at 33.88 km sits between two loops of Thahban.
Team management admits this season has been challenging and that performances on certain stages have not matched internal expectations. The objective for Jeddah is pragmatic: bring all three cars home, end the year on a positive note and use the event as a stepping stone for a stronger push in 2026. Work continues behind the scenes to bolster the programme, refine development and return next season sharper than ever.
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.
