We’ll be honest, we were getting a bit worried about Cyril Abiteboul. The former Renault F1 team boss lost his job at the start of 2021 and sort of disappeared for a while. He then reemerged to get the tattoo he’d committed himself to by losing a bet with Daniel Ricciardo, before going back into hiding.
However, we now know what Cyril is up to! The Frenchman will be back managing drivers, only this time it’s in the World Rally Championship.
After he had departed Renault and became an icon in Netflix’s Drive To Survive, Abiteboul had joined Formula 2 engine supplier Mecachrome as their motorsport advisor. However, he kept a relatively low profile since, until now.
The news of Abiteboul to South Korean manufacturer Hyundai is not a big shock. The move was originally reported last month after the former head of Hyundai’s motorsport projects left.
We are pleased to announce that Cyril Abiteboul will join Hyundai Motorsport in the role of Team Principal.
Read more about his appointment on our website 👉 https://t.co/RcrYnJ9t6H#HMSGOfficial pic.twitter.com/aniRhqgRpH
— hmsgofficial (@HMSGOfficial) January 12, 2023
“In motorsport, like in the rest of their activities, the Hyundai brand is cautiously building its leadership,” Cyril stated when talking about his new role. “I am excited at the prospect of being part of it, managing the WRC and Customer Racing programs, where the team has already proven to be strong competitors.
“I am looking forward to immersing myself into the rallying community and discovering more about this spectacular sport.”
Good luck in the new job, Cyril 🫡
