This is a Rally of Japan (November 21-24) with high stakes for Hyundai. On the land of its rival Toyota, the South Korean manufacturer can win everything: the Manufacturers’ title and the Drivers’ title. It is the latter who attracts all the attention of the crowd a few days before the grand final.
As it heads into this final round of the season, Hyundai is certain of one thing: the championship will be decided between its two drivers, Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak. All those from Toyota are definitively excluded from the title race. A detail that changes the situation for Cyril Abiteboul. Because the absence of any external threat does not force the president of Hyundai Motorsport to decide.
Thus, on Japanese asphalt, he could let his drivers fight on equal terms. Without team instructions? “ It will be up to them to decidereplies the French leader.
I think he (Thierry Neuville) will be very reluctant to take risks. We will develop our plan for the rally based on this. The World Drivers’ Championship title has been our main goal since the start of the season, so we are naturally delighted to celebrate it together in Japan. We will fully support Thierry and Ott in the final event of the season, but we also want to make sure we finish strong as a team. The fight for the Manufacturers’ title is still close and we must, as a team, be up to the task in Japan to give Toyota as much trouble as possible in its backyard. »
Before heading to Japan, Thierry Neuville is 25 points ahead of Ott Tänak with only 30 left to give away. Hyundai for its part has 15 over Toyota.
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