Thierry Neuville has performed admirably in the World Rally Championship this season and is on the verge of taking the Hyundai driver’s first WRC title.
The Belgian driver only needs to outscore his nearest rival, Ott Tanak, by two points, while Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans are still in contention.
Neuville has been chasing the world championship throughout his career, narrowly missing out after finishing in third place in each of the last three seasons.
It would be a significant moment in the Hyundai driver’s career for Neuville to finally clinch the title after a superb season in the WRC.
He has also explained to Peter Windsor on his YouTube channel that Neuville’s co-driver, Martijn Wydaeghe, has been critical to his success.
Thierry Neuville’s co-driver makes sure the Hyundai duo ‘follow our target’ in WRC events
Neuville has won two rallies this year including the season-opener at the Monte Carlo Rally before taking his second victory in Greece.
He has built a great relationship with his co-driver, Wydaeghe, which is vital in the World Rally Championship over a season.
The co-driver plays a key role during every stage, delivering critical pace notes to sharply guide the driver through the rally.
Neuville explained: “The thing I really like with him is that he let me do. He is in full trust. He just gives a bit of advice about our targets for the event. He’s very sensible on that and always making sure that we follow our target with what I’m doing and what we need.”
Thierry Neuville is eagerly anticipating two tarmac rallies to end the WRC season
This season, the World Rally Championship has been made up of a lot of gravel events, including the past seven events in a row.
The Hyundai driver has performed well on gravel, winning the Acropolis Rally in Greece, but Neuville feels tarmac rallies offer a unique challenge.
The Belgian driver is on the verge of the championship and could win the title at the Central European Rally while Rally Japan closes the season.
The Central European Rally and Rally Japan were mixed for Neuville last season, but he should be heading into the upcoming rally with confidence after winning there last season.
A year ago, the trip to Japan was more difficult as the Hyundai driver finished in 13th place – outside the points. However, in 2022, Neuville won the event, so he has performed well at Rally Japan in his career.
These successes should allow the Belgian to head into the final events of 2024 with confidence as Neuville looks to clinch the WRC title.