Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville will face off in Japan as the only drivers mathematically able to become WRC champion
Round 12 of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship saw Hyundai Motorsport tackle 18 stages across Czechia, Austria and Germany and with all three championships still up for grabs, a solid points haul was critical. Andreas Mikkelsen and Torstein Eriksen entered their first event since Rally Poland to add to Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team’s manufacturers’ championship points. Alongside them, the regular crews of Thierry Neuville/Martjn Wydaeghe and Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja, first and second respectively in the drivers’/co-drivers’ championships.
Friday went to plan; Neuville led the way after the first eight stages, securing two stage wins and six top-three finishes. This was despite bodywork damage acquired during SS2 and the crew needing to complete the day with a taped-up wheel arch. Tänak was just 7.8 seconds off the Belgian’s pace and rounded out the top three, while Mikkelsen crashed during SS5 and looked to the rest of the weekend for recuperation.
“It’s disappointing we couldn’t finish today,” said Mikkelsen at his Day One debrief, “There was less grip than I expected and the damage was too much to continue.”
Saturday’s six stages began in Hyundai Motorsport’s home region of Bavaria before heading across the border into Austria. The tight, twisty German roads contrasted Czechia’s fast-flowing stages and saw a close battle at the top of the standings. Damp and foggy conditions set the state of play: Ott Tänak traded blows with Sébastien Ogier and landed two stage wins and five top-three finishes. On SS11, Tänak gained three seconds and stood only 1.1 seconds off the rally lead.
Mikkelsen had something to prove on Saturday. He returned from successful repairs to his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid and had a trouble-free day. With the exception of a minor spin on SS13, the Norwegian was prepared to push for points on Sunday.
Neuville and Wydaeghe’s Saturday was not so straightforward. The Belgian crew had two major moments during SS11, as a result of inaccurate pace notes, and lost 35 seconds, demoting them to fourth overall. Nevertheless, 10 crucial championship points were secured and the crew would reset for the final day.
“We paid the price for a mistake during the recce,” said Neuville, reflecting on Saturday’s performance, “We didn’t expect to be fighting for the lead. However, we were in a position to be in close contention with our title contenders. We need to take as many points as possible to go into Japan with a comfortable lead.”
The final four stages of the Central European Rally took place on German tarmac, with ever-changing conditions making tyre choices difficult but also crucial for success. Road position was incredibly important; surface conditions worsened with every passing car and our crews needed to maximise the opportunities to score valuable points.
The Estonian crew of Tänak and Järveoja began Sunday with a 5.2-second deficit to Ogier but gained the provisional lead after a mistake on SS15 from their competitor. Tänak pushed on the remaining stages to solidify his lead, but after Ogier retired on SS17, the rally win was secured. This was Tänak and Järveoja’s second win of 2024, with the first coming at Rally Sardegna.
Tänak reflected on this intense win on tarmac: “This rally was demanding from the get-go. Four drivers were so close together, never more than 10 seconds apart. There is still hope for our drivers’ championship and it’s very close in the manufacturers’ standings with Toyota, so we have a big fight ahead of us in Japan.”
Neuville entered Sunday with caution and held a comfortable fourth position until Ogier’s retirement promoted him to third overall. Fourth fastest on the Wolf Power Stage secured bonus points for the Belgian and gave him a 25-point advantage over his teammate and rally winner, Tänak.
Mikkelsen almost had a Sunday to forget. A puncture on SS15 and hybrid issues during SS16 meant his weekend was looking to end on a bad note. However, the Norwegian gave it everything on the Wolf Power Stage to finish second and secure four valuable manufacturers’ championship points.
Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul gave his feelings after a dramatic Central European Rally:
“The nerves were high before coming here. It was always going to be difficult, but we tried to balance the expectations between the crews for the championship battle. The manufacturers’ title is still close, so we need to be on our A-game to give Toyota a hard time in their backyard!”
Next rally
The fight for the three 2024 FIA World Rally Championship titles will go down to the wire in five weeks’ time at Rally Japan (November 21-24). Hyundai Motorsport will crown its first-ever FIA WRC drivers’ and co-drivers’ champion during the season finale. The question is: will it be Thierry Neuville or Ott Tänak?
