Hyundai Motorsport has strengthened its assets by including two invaluable members of employees, which can oversee programmes within the World Rally Championship and World Endurance Championship.
The Korean marque has created two new roles inside its organisation within the type of Operations Director and Head of Engineering, which can be stuffed by the skilled Sebastien Metz and Massimo Carriero respectively.
They may formally begin work from 1 January 2026, with Hyundai set to contest the WRC and make its WEC debut below the Genesis model.
This follows the appointment of former FIA street sport director Andrew Wheatley, who has taken up a newly created WRC sporting director function.
It has been properly documented this yr that Hyundai’s transfer into WEC on prime of its WRC and TCR programmes has stretched assets throughout the staff. Hyundai has struggled this yr within the WRC with its upgraded i20 N that has yielded just one win so far from 12 rallies.
Metz will oversee all Hyundai Motorsport operations and services and can be answerable for each each day operations and strategic planning.
Genesis Magma Racing, GMR-001 Hypercar
Picture by: Genesis
The Frenchman has beforehand labored in each circuit racing and rallying, bringing in depth expertise from working with groups within the WEC paddock. Metz joins Hyundai from Multimatic, the place he labored on the organisation’s LMDh and GT3 programmes.
“It’s a nice supply of satisfaction to have my expertise and professionalism recognised by a producer of such stature,” stated Metz.
“I’m excited to assist [company president] Cyril Abiteboul in shaping the general motorsport technique, whereas working intently with [technical director] FX Demaison to optimise our instruments and strengthen the present construction.
“My aim is to make the staff extra strong, high-performing, and autonomous, whereas contributing to the event of Hyundai’s initiatives and the sporting deployment of Genesis.”
Based on Hyundai’s announcement, Carriero will work alongside Demaison and can handle the work of the engineering group, growing Hyundai Motorsport’s in-house engineering capabilities.
The Italian additionally has expertise in circuit racing and rallying, having labored as a Take a look at and Improvement Engineer for McLaren Motorsport’s GT3 programmes. He additionally frolicked with M-Sport, the place he held senior technical roles overseeing the squad’s rally and GT3 exploits.
Cyril Abiteboul, Group principal Hyundai World Rally Group
Picture by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport
“Sharing my time with Cyril, FX, and Hyundai Motorsport is a invaluable alternative to contribute to ongoing motorsport initiatives and be a part of a stable, forward-looking group,” stated Carriero.
“I vastly worth the management of Cyril and FX, and the dedication and expertise of everybody concerned, whose collective experience varieties the inspiration for future enhancements. My aim is to additional strengthen this dynamic by bringing my very own expertise and dedication to the group.”
Abiteboul has hailed the brand new signing as a “key step” for the model’s future in motorsport, saying: “Including the positions of Operations Director and Head of Engineering to our staff construction, as properly the current appointment of Andrew Wheatley as Sporting Director for our WRC staff, strengthens the staff for the long run and can imply that every particular person can focus extra intently on their tasks, permitting us to work extra effectively throughout all our programmes.”
Whereas Hyundai has dedicated to a manufacturing facility programme in WEC, its future involvement within the WRC past 2026 stays unclear.
Abiteboul has already dominated out the potential for growing a brand new automotive for the introduction of the WRC’s new technical laws in 2027, however has opened the door to upgrading its Rally2 to proceed its involvement in rallying’s prime tier.
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