Thierry Neuville leads the championship by 25 points over his Hyundai teammate Ott Tänak, with only the season-ending Rally Japan left to go. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier are too far behind Neuville, meaning this season’s champion will be either Neuville or Tänak.
Neuville drove sensibly on the tarmac stages of the Central European Rally. The Belgian was even in the fight for the win, but after a couple of mistakes on Saturday, he dropped out of the top three.
On Sunday, the final day, Neuville avoided taking unnecessary risks, opting to collect safe points. That was all he needed to do, as the Hyundai star still holds a firm grip on his first-ever world title.
“We’ve been consistent, and we’ve had a reliable car throughout the season, except in Kenya. The team will do everything they can to give us the best car for the final round,” Neuville commented.
In the manufacturers’ championship battle, Hyundai holds a 15-point lead over Toyota. The gap could have been even narrower if Sebastien Ogier hadn’t made a mistake on the final day of the Central European Rally.
Hyundai’s lead is clear, but Toyota still has an opportunity to strike. Neuville doesn’t intend to push too hard or take too many risks in Japan, as his primary focus will be on securing his first drivers’ title.
“There’s also the constructors’ title at stake, and we’ll have to try to help the team if we can. But let’s not forget that the team’s third car will also be there to score points,” Neuville reminded.
“We know our goal, and we know what we have left to do. Even if things go wrong in Japan, there’s still Sunday, where 12 points are up for grabs. We only need to score six. We’re in a very good position, and if we do our job as well as we know how, it will pay off.”
Among Hyundai’s drivers, Tänak will surely aim for a top finish in Japan. Meanwhile, Andreas Mikkelsen, who was disappointed by his performance in Central Europe, will be driving Hyundai’s third car.
For Toyota, Evans, Ogier, and Takamoto Katsuta will be chasing points in the final round. Katsuta, like his teammates, showed good pace in Central Europe.
