Thierry Neuville is one rally away from winning the World Rally Championship for the first time in his career.
The Belgian heads into the final event of 2024 at Rally Japan with a 25-point lead over his Hyundai teammate Ott Tanak.
Neuville has led the championship since the Monte Carlo Rally and has collected two wins and six podiums across the season, only finishing outside the top five twice.
Despite having great success in the WRC with 21 rally wins, 69 podiums and 408 stage wins, it has been agonising for the 36-year-old as he has finished second in the standings five times and third in the last three years.
But in 2024, Neuville finds himself in a great position to finally claim his first WRC crown.
Thierry Neuville must score six points at Rally Japan to secure the WRC title
The Hyundai had the opportunity to wrap up the championship at the Central European Rally, as he went into the event with a 29-point lead over teammate Tanak.
But the Estonian kept himself in the title fight by winning the rally, while Neuville finished third behind Toyota driver Elfyn Evans.
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With 25 points now separating the two drivers, Neuville still boasts a ‘comfortable lead’, but speaking with Autosport, the Belgian outlines how he must the ‘right balance’ in Japan as he must outscore Tanak by six points to seal the title.
“It is a comfortable lead,” he said. “The worst case scenario is we need to take six points. In any other scenario, we are pretty fine.
“We need to find the right balance [in Japan] because there is still the manufacturers’ championship to fight for and nevertheless we have that third car with Andreas [Mikkelsen] who will go for a push.
“We need to find a good balance in between a safe but good drive.”
Hyundai are battling Toyota for the WRC manufacturers’ title
With Hyundai guaranteed to win the drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles in 2024, the Korean outfit have the opportunity to make it a clean sweep at Rally Japan.
Hyundai lead Toyota in the Manufacturers’ Championship by 15 points after their advantage was cut down again at the Central European Rally.
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On home soil, Toyota will be looking to have a strong weekend. With Evans winning the rally last year, the Japanese manufacturer will be eager to replicate that success and prevent their rivals from winning all three WRC titles.
But Neuville also has good history around this course having won the event in 2022. The Belgian is in a comfortable position to wrap up the championship, but Tanak will be looking to fight all the way to the end and grab his second title.