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Thierry Neuville And Martijn Wydaeghe Achieve Historic FIA WRC Titles For Hyundai Motorsport At Rally Japan
Hyundai Motorsport has achieved a significant milestone by winning its first FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers' and co-drivers' titles. Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, representing the Belgian Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, secured this victory at Rally Japan. This accomplishment marks the fulfilment of the team's goal set at the beginning of the season to clinch the drivers' title for the first time.
The 2024 season was remarkable for Neuville and Wydaeghe, who led the championship standings from the start. They showcased their skills in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid, achieving two wins, six podiums, and 49 stage victories. Their journey began with a strong win at Rallye Monte-Carlo, setting a solid foundation for their championship campaign.
Neuville and Wydaeghe maintained their lead using the new FIA WRC scoring system in Sweden and Kenya. Despite facing challenges, they managed to stay ahead in the standings. In Croatia, they led for most stages but finished third due to an incident on the final day. Nevertheless, they gathered enough points to remain on top.
Their momentum continued with a podium finish in Portugal as they embarked on seven consecutive gravel events. A third-place finish extended their lead to 24 points. Although they retired from second place at Rally Italia Sardegna, they bounced back strongly to maintain their position as leaders.
After three fast-paced gravel events in Poland, Latvia, and Finland, Neuville and Wydaeghe held a 27-point advantage over Sebastién Ogier and Vincent Landais. A podium sweep in Greece further increased their lead, with teammates Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja reclaiming second place in the standings.
The Belgians faced intense competition at Rally Chile but secured fourth place and valuable points. At Central European Rally, their home event, they finished third overall, heading into Japan with a 25-point lead over Tänak and Järveoja.
A Dramatic Finale
The final event of the year was not without drama for Neuville and Wydaeghe. They started Friday well but encountered technical issues that dropped them out of point-scoring positions. However, an impressive comeback on Saturday saw them climb back to seventh place.
On Sunday morning's first stage in Japan, Tänak and Järveoja crashed, confirming Neuville and Wydaeghe as champions. This victory marked Neuville's first FIA WRC drivers' title after 11 seasons with Hyundai Motorsport.
Reflections on Success
"To be standing here as the 2024 FIA WRC drivers’ champion is a dream come true," said Thierry Neuville. "I have to start by thanking my team of 11 years: I couldn’t have done this without you." He expressed gratitude towards his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe for their strong partnership over four seasons.
Martijn Wydaeghe shared his emotions: "There are a lot of emotions at the moment, and we don’t quite realise what we have done." He praised their mental resilience throughout challenges during rallies like Friday's setback but credited teamwork for getting back on track.
Acknowledging Team Efforts
Cyril Abiteboul congratulated both drivers: "We started with one clear mission: win championships." He acknowledged everyone involved within Hyundai Motorsport while highlighting Thierry’s dedication over years leading up till now when he finally achieved this lifelong dream alongside contributing significantly towards manufacturer success too!
Aysun Akik from Shell also congratulated Neuville: "Thierry’s exceptional skill led him here today!" She emphasised how teamwork between driver & team played crucial roles throughout journey culminating into such outstanding achievement together!
Hyundai Motorsport's Legacy
Hyundai Motorsport GmbH oversees global motorsport activities including FIA WRC & Customer Racing projects since its inception back in 2012 establishing itself firmly within industry claiming manufacturers’ titles twice already before embracing hybrid era challenges successfully launching i20 N Rally1 Hybrid model recently too!
The company continues supporting perception shifts globally regarding brand image while playing vital roles driving high-performance N brand forward through various initiatives undertaken worldwide consistently delivering results across different platforms effectively showcasing capabilities offered under banner proudly representing legacy built upon hard work dedication perseverance shown by everyone involved throughout journey so far!
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