Tänak, 35, achieved nine victories whilst employed by the
Korean marque between 2020 and 2022 but jumped ship to join M-Sport Ford, the
team where he had started his WRC career, for the 2023 season.
The Estonian, alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja, scored
his second Puma Rally1 at Rally Chile Bio Bío last week. However, once he has
completed this year’s remaining two rallies, Tänak is on the move again.
He will return to Alzenau-based Hyundai Motorsport to drive
an i20 N Rally1 in 2024, with Belgian star Thierry Neuville - currently second
in the points - also confirmed in the team’s line-up.
Further driver announcements are not yet forthcoming with
Hyundai saying it will “take its time to explore various options for the rest
of its 2024 WRC line-up.”
Of the move, 2019 WRC champion Tänak said: “Hyundai
Motorsport has a clear vision and target for the near future, and it is
something that convinced me to join our forces again. I am also looking forward
to work with Cyril Abiteboul (team principal) and François-Xavier Demaison
(technical director), as their experience and knowledge in motorsport is
definitely a big advantage for the whole team.
“Our goal in this new chapter will be nothing less than to
win all the three titles, and with the new structure of the team, we have all
the tools needed to achieve it.”
Abiteboul, who joined Hyundai at the beginning of the 2023
season having spent previous years working in Formula 1, added: “I opened a
discussion with Ott, who was excited by the renewed ambitions and structure
that we are putting in place. We are pleased that he is ready to resume the
unfinished business that he has with our team.
“I am confident that, in the right environment, Thierry and
Ott can bring out the best in each other. With this pair of winning crews
secured, we can take some time to strategically consider our full line-up for
next season.”
Tänak will remain behind the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Puma
for this year’s final two rounds, Central European Rally (26 - 29 October) and
FORUM8 Rally Japan (16 - 19 November).
Portugal
Spain
France
