Tanak boosts title hopes as Neuville’s power woes continue
Ott Tanak ignited his slim World Rally Championship hopes with a dominant drive to lead Rally Japan on Friday after a power issue proved costly for title favourite Thierry Neuville. The Hyundai driver successfully navigated through the day’s eight stages to open up a 20.9s lead over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans, with M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux in […]
Neuville unsure if power issue can be fixed at Rally Japan
World Rally Championship title favourite Thierry Neuville believes the power issue suffered on Friday morning at Rally Japan isn’t mechanical but is unsure if it can be fixed. Neuville’s WRC title hopes took a knock when his Hyundai i20 N suddenly slowed during stage four (Shinshiro, 17.41km) costing the Belgian 37.7s to title rival and […]
Neuville suffers power issue as Evans claims the lead
Thierry Neuville’s World Rally Championship title hopes took a knock after suffering a power issue while Toyota’s Elfyn Evans moved into the Rally Japan lead. Championship leader Neuville won the day’s opening test and was sitting in second before a sudden loss of power hampered the Belgian, who only needs to score six points this […]
Hyundai to discuss expansion to four WRC cars in 2025
Hyundai has not ruled out the possibility of running a fourth car in the next year’s World Rally Championship, with a decision likely to come at Rally Japan. Hyundai’s top management will be heading to this weekend’s WRC season finale where it is understood discussions regarding its plans for next year will be held. The […]
Fourmaux claims super special to grab early lead
M-Sport-Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux grabbed an early Rally Japan lead after winning the opening super special stage at the World Rally Championship season finale. The final round of the season began with a 2.15km asphalt head-to-head super special stage held inside Toyota Stadium in Toyota City. Fourmaux faced eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier in a two-lap […]
The WRC title balancing act facing Neuville and Hyundai in Japan
Thierry Neuville has opened up on the balancing act he faces in Japan to secure a maiden World Rally Championship crown and contribute to Hyundai’s manufacturers’ title bid. Neuville heads into the season finale as the heavy favourite to claim what would be a career-defining title, with a 25-point lead over Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak. […]
Hyundai wants FIA to rethink 2025 air restrictor rule change
Hyundai has expressed concerns over the performance of next year’s World Rally Championship non-hybrid powered Rally1 cars and is asking the FIA to reconsider changes to the air restrictor. The FIA confirmed last week that hybrid power will be dropped from the WRC’s top tier Rally1 cars in 2025 in a move triggered by a […]
Tanak can fight “without hands tied” in WRC title decider
Ott Tanak will be able to fight “without his hands tied” at the World Rally Championship title-deciding Rally Japan, according to Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul. Both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles will go down to the wire on Japan’s asphalt stages this weekend, with the former to be fought between Hyundai team-mates Thierry Neuville […]
Toyota targets «almost perfect” Rally Japan to snatch WRC title
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala believes it could take «an almost perfect» Rally Japan to wrestle the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown from Hyundai. The Japanese marque heads into the season finale on home soil sitting 15 points adrift of rivals Hyundai in the fight for the constructors’ honours. Toyota has claimed a manufacturers’ and […]