Neuville is close to securing his first-ever WRC title, with three rounds remaining. The Belgian holds a 34-point lead over Tänak in the standings, making it difficult for Tänak to catch up. Neuville has already stated that he plans to drive cautiously in the upcoming rallies, avoiding unnecessary risks.
Check out the full WRC points standings here.
However, Tänak has not yet given up on the championship fight. After the Acropolis Rally in Greece a couple of weeks ago, the Estonian said that he intends to keep fighting for the title as long as there’s a chance.
Although the Hyundai drivers are competing for the title, Tänak can’t help but praise his teammate’s performance this year.
“Thierry has definitely been strong this year – perhaps even stronger than expected,” Tänak openly admits in an interview with his partner VivatBet.
Neuville has led the championship since the start of the season. The Hyundai star took the maximum 30 points from the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo and has consistently scored points ever since. In Greece, he secured his second win of the season, further solidifying his lead in the championship.
Neuville has had to play the role of “road sweeper” in every gravel rally this season, but despite that, his rivals have been unable to catch up to the championship leader.
“He has suffered a lot, but he’s managed to endure most of the tough spots. There was one mistake in Sardinia that shouldn’t have happened, given his situation at the time. But overall, he’s navigated the toughest challenges well and has managed to stay positive despite everything,” Tänak praises.
“He’s accustomed to the team and understands what to expect from both the car and its limits. It seems that the clear goal for this year is to pull everything together and deliver a strong result. We’ll see what the end of the season brings.”
The next WRC round will take place on Chile’s gravel roads next week. The season will conclude with tarmac rallies in Central Europe and Japan.
