Hyundai Motorsport has announced that Ott Tänak will not score manufacturers' points at the Central European Rally, FORUM8 Rally Japan, and Rally Saudi Arabia. This move allows Tänak to use additional engines without receiving time penalties, keeping his options intact for the fight for the drivers' title.
The WRC Engine Regulations and Their Penalties
Each manufacturer entry in the World Rally Championship can only use two engines per chassis during the entire season. A third engine incurs an automatic five-minute penalty applied at the following rally. Hyundai could have rotated its engine units among its three i20 N Rally1 cars to give Tänak a new engine, but another driver would have carried the time penalty. The team opted for a different alternative: to have Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux as the only drivers scoring manufacturers' points in the remaining events. This decision completely frees Tänak from the regulatory limitations on engines.
Photo By Red Bull Content Pool The Mechanical Problems in Chile That Precipitated the Decision
The Rally Chile exposed the mechanical difficulties Tänak was facing. The driver was leading the overall classification when he suffered an engine failure. After installing the spare unit, he experienced new power issues and overheating because that engine had already shown problems at the Rally Sweden. These technical issues severely limited Tänak's chances on Chilean soil and highlighted the need for fresh engines for the remaining rallies of the season.
The Championship Math Favors Betting on Tänak
In the drivers' championship, Sébastien Ogier leads with 224 points, followed by Elfyn Evans with 222. Tänak is in fourth place with 181 points, 43 points behind Ogier. Among Hyundai drivers, Tänak maintains an advantage over Neuville, who has accumulated 166 points in fifth position.
Toyota Gazoo Racing leads the manufacturers' championship with 572 points compared to the 447 of Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team. The 125-point advantage complicates Hyundai's aspirations in that standings, justifying the concentration of resources on the individual fight.
Photo By Red Bull Content Pool The Remaining Calendar and Tänak's Opportunities
The Central European Rally will open the final sequence on October 16, followed by FORUM8 Rally Japan on November 6 and Rally Saudi Arabia on November 27. Tänak won in Japan in 2018 and 2019, gaining valuable experience on those roads. Hyundai's decision makes Tänak the only driver in the championship top 5 with unlimited access to fresh engines. Ogier, Evans, and Rovanperä must manage their remaining units under the regulatory restrictions, while Tänak will be able to maximize the power of his i20 N Rally1 on every special stage.
Upcoming Races
Drivers Standings 2026
| POS | PILOTO | PTS | ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elfyn Evans | 60 | arrow_up1 |
| 2 | Oliver Solberg | 47 | arrow_down1 |
| 3 | Takamoto Katsuta | 30 | arrow_up4 |
| 4 | Adrien Fourmaux | 28 | |
| 5 | Thierry Neuville | 21 | |
| 6 | Sébastien Ogier | 18 | arrow_down3 |
| 7 | Sami Pajari | 17 | arrow_up7 |
| 8 | Esapekka Lappi | 9 |
Manufacturers Standings 2026
| POS | CONSTRUCTOR | PTS | ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT | 117 | |
| 2 | HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM | 66 | |
| 3 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT2 | 18 | arrow_up1 |
| 4 | M-SPORT FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM | 14 | arrow_down1 |
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