After years of chasing his first World Rally Championship title, the Belgian Hyundai star realised his dream last weekend in Japan.
Before this triumph, Neuville had finished as runner-up in the WRC standings five times. It’s no surprise, then, that his relief was immense when his long-held dream came true.
Neuville had decided at a young age that he would become a rally champion, but his story almost ended before it began.
“I can remember very well when I went to my bank and I had €256 Euros left in my account. That was everything I had left. I always remember my mother fighting against me at that time, that I (shouldn’t) put all my money into my cars,” Neuville shared on the WRC website.
Drawn to rallying
Neuville hails from Sankt Vith, located just a 20-minute drive from the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit. As a child, one of his highlights each year was attending the Belgian Grand Prix, but rallying fascinated him even more.
“It was interesting to watch the crashes and impressive driving lines,” Neuville recalled in a recent WRC Backstories podcast on the WRC website.
A young Thierry spent hours behind the handlebars of an ATV his father had bought him. His first proper rally came in 2007, when he was 19 years old.
He worked as a CNC machinist and invested all his earnings into rallying. Neuville had already decided that rallying would be his profession.
“My parents didn’t think it was a good idea to put all my money into cars at the beginning of my career. But I believed in myself and the feeling I had inside.”
“I remember starting my first rally season in Belgium. Financially, I was in a bad spot. I had to quit my job to focus on rallying. I didn’t have much money,” Neuville said.
“I thought it was all over”
Neuville’s parents, who were divorced, both worked full-time but couldn’t support his career financially. Thierry’s passion for rallying, however, consumed his funds, leaving him with just the infamous €256 in his account at one point.
Neuville faced challenging periods in the early stages of his career, even considering giving up rallying.
“It happened to me twice. I thought it was all over. But then I was able to deliver strong performances, and maybe my luck turned a bit. And we were back on track.”
Neuville’s talent earned him opportunities in international rallies, with the IRC series ultimately serving as his springboard into the WRC. Since 2012, he has been competing in the World Rally Championship with WRC cars.
“It took me four years to go from starting with nothing to reaching the WRC. It happened quickly.”
Neuville secured his first WRC runner-up spot in 2013 with Ford. The following season, he joined Hyundai’s factory team, which he has represented ever since. Now, Neuville has become the first driver to win a world championship with Hyundai.
“My mother once said that I’ve always gotten what I wanted and that I always will. So far, she’s been right.”
