ENNI MÄLKÖNEN Becomes Only Female Co-Driver in Rally1 as Hyundai Targets Titles

January 15, 2026

• ENNI MÄLKÖNEN has quietly become the most significant woman in Rally1, stepping into the top tier as the only female co-driver in the category. While Hyundai talks strategy and surface expertise, the real story is that MÄLKÖNEN brings championship-winning credentials from her dominant 2025 Finnish Rally Championship campaign with five wins alongside Esapekka Lappi.
• Hyundai’s 2026 lineup reveals an interesting dynamic where experience trumps everything – they’re banking on a rotational strategy with proven drivers rather than fresh talent. The team’s moved their test base from Finland to France, suggesting they’ve finally acknowledged that their gravel game needs serious work after years of struggling on rough surfaces.
• The manufacturer’s approach feels conservative yet calculated – keeping Neuville and Wydaeghe as anchors while giving Fourmaux another shot at his first WRC victory. But the spotlight belongs to MÄLKÖNEN, who’s breaking barriers in a sport that’s been stubbornly male-dominated at the highest levels, proving that women belong in Rally1 cockpits.

co-drivers, hyundai, junior wrc, rally1