Hyundai Motorsport reveals the i20 N Rally1 WRC’s new look

Hyundai had a challenging 2025 WRC season, where they only scored two wins to Toyota’s 12. But now that the counters have returned to zero, the Korean automaker is entering 2026 with a clear objective: to win it all.

A week ahead of the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo, Hyundai Motorsport has revealed the new look i20 N Rally 1, which will be driven full-time by 2024 WRC champion Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, and a third car shared by Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi, and Hayden Paddon.

The new livery has a unique design that pays tribute to Hyundai’s racing heritage around the world. The iconic Performance Blue and Active Red return alongside design features honoring Nürburgring, the home of Hyundai N, and Namyang, the location of Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D Centre and Design Center. Hyundai Motorsport says a series of special liveries will also feature at selected WRC events during the season.

Hyundai spent a total of 16 days testing the 2026 i20 N Rally 1 since last year’s final round in Saudi Arabia to improve its performance across various surfaces and address the car’s weaknesses, particularly on slippery asphalt.

Apart from developing the car further, Hyundai Motorsport has also relocated its test base from Finland to the south of France, giving the team a greater variety of surfaces to test on throughout the year.

“We return this season with more determination and fight than ever before. Last year was a challenge, but we learnt a lot about our weaknesses and what we need to work on to up our game even more in 2026. Once again, our target is to finish the year with all three championship titles – something we know we are in a better position to achieve thanks to the maturity of the Evo car. The competition will be tough from Toyota once again, but I truly believe we have what it takes to reach our targets,” said Cyril Abiteboul, Hyundai Motorsport president and Team Principal.