Thierry Neuville expects a tight battle against Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT at WRC Finland 2026, although he accepts the home team remains the clear favourite on central Finland’s fast gravel roads.
Hyundai Motorsport arrives in Jyvaskyla with renewed confidence after Adrien Fourmaux secured a podium at Rally Estonia. Fourmaux is targeting another top-three result, while Neuville has set a higher objective by aiming for victory and as many points as possible before the summer break.
Hyundai has continued developing its car throughout the season, including new aerodynamic upgrades. However, Fourmaux stressed that its rivals have made similar progress, meaning the effectiveness of the latest package will only become clear once competition begins.
Neuville prepared for WRC Finland 2026 by competing in the Tampere Rally the previous weekend. The event was used to test different setup options while also providing additional mileage before recce.
“I don’t know if we’ll have enough pace to beat Toyota here, but I don’t think we’re far away,” Neuville said. “The first pass through the stages is usually more difficult for me. On the second pass, when the grip improves and the road becomes more rutted, I generally feel much more comfortable.”
Neuville expects the fight at the front to be extremely close. In his view, at least eight drivers have the potential to challenge for second and third place, although the number of genuine victory contenders may be smaller.
The Belgian also believes this year’s route will increase the challenge. “This is the fastest Rally Finland I’ve ever seen. There are a lot of new sections of road, so it will require a huge amount of commitment and, at times, real bravery,” he said.
WRC Finland 2026 begins on Thursday evening with the Harju super special stage and concludes on Sunday, as Hyundai looks to determine whether its development progress is enough to challenge Toyota on home soil.
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Adrien Fourmaux led Harju SS1 at WRC Finland 2026 after beating Thierry Neuville as Hyundai opened the rally with a one-two.
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