Hyundai Motorsport for first time WRC champion

FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

From this year’s first race in Monte Carlo, the Belgian duo led the dance for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), but it was not until the last rally of the season that the spoils were finally in. Their consistent performance in their rally car Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid earned them a total of two wins and six podium finishes and recorded 49 fastest times on special stages.

For 36-year-old leader of Hyundai Motorsport’s rally team Thierry Neuville, the world title marks the end of a long journey. After finishing second in the World Rally Championship five times, he has finally hit his stride. The historic victory marks Hyundai Motorsport’s first world title in the World Rally Championship.

Victory in the Rallye Monte Carlo

Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe began their title race with a resounding victory in the Rallye Monte Carlo. After the opening classic, they painstakingly managed to defend their lead in the rallies of Sweden and Kenya, followed by another demonstration of great power on the tarmac of Croatia. Of the 20 tests, the duo won no fewer than 15. A skid on the final day unfortunately cost Neuville and Wydaeghe victory, but their hard work earned them enough points to stay at the top of the standings and finish third.

On to Japan

Another podium finish followed in Portugal, followed by a run of seven consecutive gravel rallies. After fast gravel rallies in Poland, Latvia and Finland, Neuville and Wydaeghe held a 27-point lead over the chasing duo of Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais, driving for Toyota. Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, teammates of Neuville and Wydaeghe, were also competing for the world title.

After a victory in the Rally of Greece, fourth place in the Rally of Chile and third place in the Central European Rally, Neuville and Wydaeghe traveled confidently to Japan for the final rally of the season. Their lead over the numbers two in the standings, Tänak and Järveoja, was 25 points and the duo of Ogier and Landais had now dropped out of the title race. The question was no longer whether Hyundai Motorsport would become world champion, but which driver duo from the successful team would take the honor.

Made champion by crash

In the last rally of the year, Neuville and Wydaeghe had a good start, but suffered technical problems fairly quickly, leaving them outside the points. An impressive comeback brought the two back to seventh place, before needing two more points on the final day to keep Tänak and Järveoja behind them. A crash by the two rally drivers from Estonia ultimately sealed the championship for Neuville and Wydaeghe.

First world title

For Thierry Neuville, it is his first world title since joining the Hyundai Motorsport rally team 11 years ago. Since 2014, the Belgian manifested himself emphatically as a candidate for the world title, but did not get further than five second places. Until this year, in which he and his navigator Martijn Wydaeghe were unapproachable. Together they won two constructors’ titles in recent years and set an impressive series of 21 victories, 62 podium finishes and 380 fastest times.

“Winning the World Championship is a dream come true,” jubilated Neuville. “I want to thank my team for the last 11 years; without them this would not have been possible. We have often finished second, but never gave up hope. I also want to thank Martijn; we have built a great partnership in four seasons. I hope this is the first of many titles.”

“It’s an emotional moment and we don’t quite realize yet what we have accomplished,” Wydaeghe said. “This weekend we showed that our mental resilience is our greatest strength. Despite setbacks, we continued to believe in ourselves and the team. Our season was about never giving up and focusing on a strong final day and that’s what got us the world title.”