Triple Title Decider in the Japanese Mountains
Hyundai Motorsport travels to Asia for the 13th and final round of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship. A strong performance at Rally Japan will consolidate the team’s most successful season yet – and potentially crown the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team as Drivers’, Co-Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Champions.
The crews of Theirry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja will arrive in Japan with just 25 points separating them, so the titles are all to play for. The team has already accumulated the most-ever points in a single season and equalled the most wins; there is an incredible opportunity to produce a record-breaking season for Hyundai Motorsport.
Neuville had this to say ahead of a fateful weekend for him and the team: “The target for us is to seal the Drivers’ title and help the team secure the Manufacturers’ title. We have no testing for Japan, so we’re carrying over data from Central European Rally.”
The Belgian crew of Neuville/Wydaeghe have held the lead in the title charges since the first round at Rallye Monte Carlo and only require five points in Japan to solidify their efforts. Their Estonian teammates of Tänak/Järveoja have had a strong surge in the second half of the season and are coming off the back of a win at the Central European Rally. Tänak isn’t a stranger to WRC titles, having driven to glory in 2019.
Tänak weighs up Rally Japan: “It’s one of the most difficult tarmac rallies. It’s tight and twisty and the stages can change conditions from start to finish. We must end the year strong and we cannot afford to hold back. We’ll give it our best and go into Japan in fighting mode.”
The battle for the Manufacturers’ Championship is much closer. Hyundai Motorsport sits only 15 points ahead of Toyota, emphasising the team effort required to bring the trophy home. Helping our full-time crews and the title fight are Andreas Mikkelsen/Torstein Eriksen, winners in Japan last year in WRC2 and returning from a challenging outing at the Central European Rally.
“Rally Japan is very enjoyable even though the conditions are difficult,” said Mikkelsen ahead of the season finale, “My goal is to help us seal the Manufacturers’ title and I think we are all ready for it.”
The crews face over 300 km of forested foothills and tarmac roads across 21 stages. Three brand new stages stand between Hyundai Motorsport and the triple-title glory and the fan-favourite duel in the Toyota Stadium returns for some head-to-head action. Rally Japan is notorious for unpredictable weather conditions, but the team is optimistic.
Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal, Cyril Abiteboul, gives an insight into the team’s intentions for Rally Japan: “I want to acknowledge the hard work of Thierry, Martijn, Ott and Martin this year. We’ll support both crews as they push to bring home Hyundai’s first WRC Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ titles. It will be difficult to fight Toyota as they are always strong in Japan, but we’ll put in the best possible team effort to finish the season strong.”
Rally Japan begins in the Toyota Stadium on Thursday before ending on a brand-new stage on Sunday’s Wolf Power Stage.
