By winning the Power Stage at the season finale in Sardinia, Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe at least said farewell to a disappointing season with a small success. In the overall rally classification they managed only 15th place; Neuville finished the world championship in seventh place.
For the co‑driver, who has sat beside the Belgian since 2021 and became world champion with him in 2024, an unfamiliar period is beginning. While in the past preparations for the next season were already underway, Wydaeghe currently does not even know when he will next take part in a rally.
"I am looking forward to finding out when my next rally will take place, because after Sardinia I have no work left," the 34‑year‑old told Belgian broadcaster RTBF. He said he will particularly miss the preparation for events.
Waiting for Hyundai
The uncertainty is directly linked to the future of Hyundai Motorsport. The Korean manufacturer will not develop a completely new car for 2027 under the WRC27 regulations. Instead, the team is focusing on the further development of its i20 N Rally2.
Whether Hyundai will equip this car with a WRC kit for the top category, run a limited programme, or focus more on its customer racing business has not yet been decided.
Waiting is becoming increasingly difficult for Wydaeghe. "In recent weeks I have tried not to think about it. But I must admit that that is not easy," he says. The team itself is also waiting for clarity.
The decision about his future is not up to him alone. First Hyundai must set its plans, then Neuville will decide how he wants to proceed. Only after that can Wydaeghe assess his own situation.
Neuville wants to scale back
There are also differing personal views. After 15 full world championship seasons, 13 of them with Hyundai, Neuville has recently hinted several times that he would prefer a break in 2027 or at least a reduced programme.
His co‑driver sees it differently. For him 2026 was only his sixth full season alongside Neuville. Accordingly his desire to continue regularly in the world championship is strong.
"Thierry has competed in many more seasons than I have. I still have an incredible amount of enthusiasm for rallying," says Wydaeghe. At the same time he can understand that Neuville, after his long career, sets other priorities.
A split of the successful duo is therefore not on the table. However a possible part‑time programme from Neuville could also mean fewer outings for Wydaeghe. Whether Hyundai can offer both a shared perspective should become clear in the coming weeks.
