“I still need to drive fast” on Sunday to clinch maiden WRC title
Thierry Neuville says he cannot afford to cruise through the Rally Japan’s final leg to secure a maiden World Rally Championship title following a stirring Saturday fightback. The WRC points leader started Saturday outside the points-paying positions in 15th after Friday’s costly turbo failure dashed hopes of a relatively comfortable run to score the six points […]
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. […]
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 […]
If Neuville is “smart» there is «no chance» to win WRC title
Ott Tanak says if team-mate Thierry Neuville is “smart” at the Rally Japan there will be no chance for him to claim a second WRC title despite Hyundai allowing its drivers to fight. Both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles will go down to the wire in Japan next month after last weekend’s dramatic Central European Rally. […]
WRC manufacturers’ title priority despite drivers’ points swing
Ott Tanak says helping Hyundai win the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title remains his priority despite provisionally reducing team-mate Thierry Neuville’s drivers’ points lead at the Central European Rally. Tanak headed into the WRC’s penultimate round 29 points adrift of Neuville, knowing his team-mate could claim a maiden world title if he outscored him by […]
Neuville is “not safe yet” in WRC title fight
Ott Tanak says Thierry Neuville is “not safe yet” after taking a nibble out of his Hyundai team-mate’s World Rally Championship lead at Rally Chile. The 2019 world champion outscored Neuville by five points last weekend to reduce the deficit in the title race to 29 points with two rounds of the seasons remaining in […]
Elfyn Evans keeps WRC Rally Chile lead after Hyundai protest
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans has held onto the Rally Chile lead after stewards rejected a protest from the Hyundai World Rally Championship team against the reallocation of a notional stage time. Hyundai’s Ott Tanak ended Friday’s six stages with a 0.4-second margin over Evans before stewards received a request to review the notional time issued to […]
Tanak surprised by WRC Rally Chile pace after Friday struggles
Ott Tanak admitted he was surprised to be fighting for the Rally Chile victory having initially written off his chances after Friday’s first stage. The Hyundai driver delivered an impressive drive from second on the road to lead Toyota’s Elfyn Evans by 0.4 seconds at the end of Friday’s six stages. Tanak will, however, head into […]
Tanak ruled out of remaining Rally Finland WRC stages after crash
Ott Tanak’s World Rally Championship title hopes have been dealt a further blow following confirmation that the Hyundai driver is unable to rejoin Rally Finland after Friday morning’s crash. The 2019 world champion lost control of his i20 N in stage three [Saarikas] in slippery conditions which resulted in the vehicle rolling before colliding with […]