Sebastien Ogier has committed to the remaining four rounds of the World Rally Championship and is in contention to win the title.
The Frenchman is second in the standings, 27 points behind the championship leader Thierry Neuville despite missing three rallies.
The Toyota driver missed Rally Sweden and the Safari Rally as well as withdrawing from Rally Poland midway through the season.
Neuville has total control over whether he will clinch the championship and isn’t relying on other drivers to have a lacklustre weekend in the WRC.
He said via quotes from motorsport.com that winning the championship and competing against Ogier will make the success even more special, although the Frenchman will have excuses if he doesn’t win the title.
Thierry Neuville believes Sebastien Ogier will ‘always have an excuse’ if he doesn’t win the WRC title
Neuville is anticipating tough competition from Ogier over the final four rallies, kicking off with the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
The Toyota driver has been competing at the very top of the timesheets in all six rallies he’s competed in this year, winning three and finishing second in the other events.
There is pressure on Neuville as the season draws to a close; the Belgian is chasing his first World Rally Championship title.
Neuville believes Ogier will be the driver to beat in the final four rounds as Ogier’s presence reignites the championship battle.
He said: “It will be someone else to fight for the championship and if you’re going to win then it is even better.
“He will always have an excuse because he didn’t do all the other rounds, but he chose very well which ones he didn’t do.
“He has done very well benefiting from his road position but now it will be a bit different, but he is the man to fight. It is no secret he is the one who will be the strongest until the end of the year in the fight for the championship, and we need to resist.”
Thierry Neuville has been very consistent throughout the 2024 campaign
Neuville’s campaign for Hyundai started superbly with a victory at the Monte Carlo Rally and has finished inside the top 10 at every event apart from a blip at Rally Italia Sardegna.
This has built the foundations for his title challenge, as Ogier has been blisteringly fast at every event he has competed in.
The Belgian has taken advantage of his main rival not committing to the full season and is getting closer to take his first title.
The Acropolis Rally in Greece should be a superb event on gravel and will go a long way to deciding who will take the WRC title.