It will be a Hyundai driver who will win the 2024 World Rally Championship as Rally Japan sets up a tense title battle between teammates.
For much of this season, it looked as though seven-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier would be the closest challenger to Thierry Neuville, who has led the standings since the Monte Carlo Rally.
The Frenchman revealed after winning Rally Finland that he would compete in the final four rallies of the season to aid Toyota in their bid to win the title. But after three disastrous events in Greece, Chile and the Central European Rally, the 40-year-old is now out of contention.
Ogier’s poor form has opened the door for Ott Tanak, and after securing three podiums in the last three rallies, including a win last time out at the Central European Rally, the Estonian is now in with a chance of challenging his Hyundai teammate Neuville for the title at Rally Japan.
Hyundai will support both Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak in their title battle at Rally Japan
Neuville could have wrapped up his maiden WRC title last time out, but Tanak’s win has kept him in the running, with a 25-point gap between the drivers.
The worst case scenario for Neuville is to score six points to win the title in Japan. But with Tanak’s ‘superhuman’ ability in title deciders, the Estonian will not make it easy for the Belgian as he is looking to fight for his second WRC crown.
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Many have wondered how Hyundai are going to handle the situation, with Neuville looking to avoid an ‘internal fight’ for the title. Speaking with Autosport, team principal Cyril Abiteboul outlined that they will support both drivers, but he wants a strong finish to beat Toyota in the manufacturers’ standings.
“We will give full support to both Thierry and Ott as they take on the final round of the season, but we want to make sure we also finish strongly as a team,” he said.
“The manufacturers’ title fight is still close, so we must as a team all be on our A-game in Japan to give Toyota the hardest time possible in their backyard.”
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Holding a 25-point advantage, Neuville is in a comfortable position and it seems unlikely that he will not walk away with the WRC title.
But Tanak presents a strong challenge, especially given his form. The Estonian has beaten Neuville in the last two rallies and while Tanak comes off the back of three consecutive podiums, his teammate has only managed three in the last seven events.
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Hyundai will have be cautious in their approach as Toyota are gunning for the Manufacturers’ Championship. The Japanese outfit have been cutting down their rivals’ lead over the previous two events and now sit just 15 points behind heading into their home event.
Hyundai will want to avoid any drama and mishaps so they can secure all three WRC titles in 2024. But the pressure will be most on Neuville at Rally Japan as he looks to grab his first championship.