WRC, Sportrik Media - Thierry Neuville and Hyundai Motorsport arrive at Rally Islas Canarias 2026 under pressure following a missed victory opportunity in Croatia and a clear performance gap to Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Neuville had led Rally Croatia heading into the final stage before a driving error forced him out of the lead, marking a significant setback for Hyundai, which is still searching for its first win of the season. The result further highlighted the competitive advantage held by Toyota, particularly on asphalt events where car balance, traction, and tyre management are critical performance factors.
Heading into the Canary Islands round, expectations within Hyundai remain limited. This outlook was reinforced during Thursday’s shakedown, where Toyota drivers occupied the top five positions, while Hyundai’s three entries struggled to match that pace. The disparity underlines ongoing limitations in the Hyundai Rally1 package, especially in optimizing performance on high-grip asphalt surfaces.
“I’ve had setbacks throughout my career, like anyone else, and I’ve always managed to come back. But this is a very difficult period—we are going through a really tough phase right now,” Neuville stated.
“I don’t think we currently have everything we need to return to the front immediately.”
Neuville acknowledged that the shakedown results confirmed internal expectations regarding the performance gap. While not unexpected, the outcome still represented another setback for the team as it prepares for a demanding asphalt rally.
“It’s another hard blow. We expected it, but you always hope for something better,” he added.
The Belgian driver also conceded that a significant performance turnaround over the course of the weekend is unlikely. Although minor improvements have been identified in car setup, the overall gap to Toyota remains substantial.
“At the moment, it’s not possible. We have improved slightly, but we are still far from being good enough,” Neuville explained.
The rally began with a short opening stage on Thursday evening, where Neuville placed eighth, 1.9 seconds behind Takamoto Katsuta, who set the benchmark for Toyota. The result further emphasized Toyota’s early dominance on asphalt conditions.
The main competitive phase will unfold on Friday, featuring seven special stages that are expected to shape the outcome of the rally. For Hyundai, the priority will be damage limitation and strategic execution under challenging circumstances, while Toyota is well positioned to extend its advantage in both the rally classification and the broader championship standings.
Baca Juga
Sebastien Ogier menilai Reli Canary 2026 akan jadi duel internal Toyota, dengan faktor cuaca dan etape baru berpotensi menentukan hasil.
Andrew Wheatley tetap optimis meski Hyundai tertinggal dari Toyota di WRC Canary 2026, menargetkan posisi di belakang dan peluang dari kesalahan rival.
Thierry Neuville mengakui Hyundai kesulitan mengejar Toyota di WRC Canary 2026 setelah kesalahan di Kroasia dan performa mobil Rally1 yang tertinggal.
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