HYUNDAI EMERGES AS A WEC POSSIBILITY
The third largest manufacturer of road cars in the world is potentially eyeing off a spot in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with the possibility of it also competing in the North American IMSA Sportscar Championship.
The Korean giants possibly joining the WEC is precisely why the FIA and ACO moved the series’ into the new LMH and LMDh ruleset category – in order to attract the biggest car makers back to the sport, with Le Mans as its revitalised flagship at its heart.
Speculation of Hyundai joining comes just a month after the sports governing bodies announced the ruleset extension into the 2029 season, with the added assurance making it an even more attractive prospect for manufacturers to join.
Several industry sources have claimed that Hyundai is close to making a decision, with it likely to be as an LMDh entry, meaning it will have a choice of four chassis, with it likely being Dallara or ORECA.
In competing as an LMDh machine, it would join Acura, Cadillac, Alpine, BMW, Lamborghini and Porsche, which will compete alongside LMH machines Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, and Isotta Fraschini, whilst Aston Martin will also join in 2025.
In joining the WEC, there will also be questions about whether or not Hyundai will continue its involvement in the FIA World Rally Championship.
The Korean team is leading this year’s manufacturers and drivers title against the dominant Toyota outfit, but with the current regulations ending in 2026, there is still a huge air of uncertainty about what the championship will look like, or even if it will remain hybrid.
The Hybrid aspect of the i20N was done in-house at its Hyundai Motorsport German factory, which is why it can be safely assumed that Hyundai will build its own Hypercar hybrid component to be paired with its own combustion engine.
And whilst teams are still concerned about what 2026 will bring, the WRC is yet to even outline what a cross-bridge 2025 will even look like, with Hyundai’s WRC Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul telling rally magazine, DirtFish Media that, “We need certainty and the timing is a very big concern for us. And as soon as possible is not in June. I’m talking about a couple of weeks, not a couple of months.
“You need to expect a Hyundai that can be competitive and has the certainty to be competitive. We need to have insurance in the stability of the regulations and for that, we need those regulations as soon as possible.”
READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF AUTO ACTION DIGITAL HERE
Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.
