While Thierry Neuville couldn’t secure the drivers’ world championship just yet, Hyundai maintained a strong lead over Toyota in the manufacturers’ championship. The gap between the teams is 15 points heading into Japan.
However, it was confirmed in Central Europe that a Hyundai driver will be crowned world champion at the end of the season. The title will go to either Neuville or Ott Tänak. Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans have now lost even their theoretical chances of claiming the title. Neuville leads the drivers’ standings by 25 points heading into the season-ending Rally Japan.
“Well, first, we have secured a rally win. And, you know, huge congratulations to the team. It has been really remarkable to stay extremely focused in very tricky conditions,” Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul told RallyJournal.com.
“A lot was at stake for Ott and for Thierry, but you could see that they were on a mission. So it’s really good to see. Obviously, Seb made a mistake, but it’s very clear that he was also pushed to make that mistake,” Abiteboul continued.
Abiteboul is making history this season as Hyundai’s team principal. He will become the first team boss in the Korean manufacturer’s history to lead the team to a drivers’ world championship.
“A good part of the mission is accomplished in the sense that we already know it will be a Hyundai driver crowned world champion at the end of the year – driver and co-driver. This was always the main target, and it has never been achieved by Hyundai in their 11-year journey into the sport. So, it’s great,” Abiteboul praised.
However, the celebrations will have to wait. The champagne will stay on ice until the conclusion of Rally Japan.
“I don’t want to celebrate yet. We can’t celebrate because we also need the name, and we don’t have that name yet. You can’t celebrate a driver title as a team without that driver in the middle of it, and we don’t know which one that will be yet. But obviously, it’s a big achievement and landmark in the team’s history. We will reflect on that when the energy is back, because it’s been a long and tough weekend,” Abiteboul concluded.
