

2024.12.17 Hyundai Motorsport Team
The final showdown of the 2024 WRC season, Rally Japan, kicked off on November 21. In the Drivers’ Championship, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville entered as the front-runner, but teammate Ott Tänak trailed by just 25 points, keeping the title race alive. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Hyundai held a slim 15-point lead over Toyota, making the stakes equally high. While Hyundai was poised to celebrate no matter which of its drivers claimed the individual title, defending the team championship on Toyota’s home turf was a daunting challenge.
Returning for its third consecutive year, Rally Japan has evolved significantly since its debut in 2004 as a gravel rally in Hokkaido. After being removed from the calendar in 2010 due to environmental concerns and costs, the rally made a triumphant comeback in 2022, thanks to Toyota’s renewed involvement in WRC. This year’s rally was held on the asphalt roads of Japan’s Chubu region, including Aichi and Gifu prefectures.
Notably, Aichi is Toyota’s home base. The city, formerly called Koromo, was renamed Toyota City in 1958 in honor of the automaker. In 2022, Neuville claimed victory in the rally’s return, while Elfyn Evans took home the win in 2023, restoring pride for the Toyota team. This year’s course again featured winding mountain roads lined with dense forests, challenging drivers with narrow passages, loose leaves, and, thankfully, dry weather for this season. Still, the conditions remained brutal.
Eight Rally1 cars entered the event: three from Hyundai, three from Toyota, and two from M-Sport Ford. Hyundai Motorsport entered Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak to battle for the Drivers’ Championship title, while Andreas Mikkelsen completed their lineup. Heading into the event, Neuville held a 25-point lead over Tänak, giving him a clear advantage on paper. However, as everyone knows, what happens during the rally is never predictable.
Thierry Neuville, the 36-year-old Belgian, has been competing at the top level of WRC since 2013. After joining Hyundai Motorsport in 2014, this season marked his 11th year with the team. Though consistently regarded as a championship contender, the title had eluded him—until now, as he stood on the brink of his first WRC crown. Meanwhile, his closest rival, Ott Tänak, had been gaining momentum late in the season. Following a victory in Italy, Tänak faced setbacks, including a retirement in Finland, but rebounded with podium finishes in the last three rallies, including Central Europe, chasing Neuville closely.
Before the rally began, Hyundai Motorsport team principal Cyril Abiteboul expressed his gratitude to the team: “I want to acknowledge the hard work of Thierry, Martijn, Ott and Martin this year. We’ll support both crews as they push to bring home Hyundai’s first WRC Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ titles. It will be difficult to fight Toyota as they are always strong in Japan, but we’ll put in the best possible team effort to finish the season strong.”
On their home ground, Toyota entered a formidable lineup featuring Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier, and Takamoto Katsuta. Evans, currently third in the Drivers’ Championship, won Rally Japan last year and recently claimed second place at the Central European Rally, showcasing excellent form on tarmac stages. Meanwhile, M-Sport Ford entered Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster. Fourmaux, with four podium finishes this season, currently holds fifth in the Drivers’ Championship standings.
In the WRC2 category, Sami Pajari entered the rally with a final shot at the title. Although Oliver Solberg leads the standings, having completed his full season of seven events, Pajari trailed by just 15 points. A win or second-place finish in Japan could crown him champion. Key challengers looking to spoil Pajari’s run include Nikolay Gryazin, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, and Gus Greensmith.
Ott Tänak clinches second place at the Super Special Stage at Toyota Stadium. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
The 2024 WRC finale began on Thursday, November 21, at 7:05 PM with the Super Special Stage (SSS1) held inside Toyota Stadium. The stage layout was almost identical to last year’s but featured minor tweaks, including the addition of a 360-degree turn and a slightly extended length. Adrien Fourmaux claimed the top spot, followed by Tänak in second. Takamoto Katsuta, Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier, and Thierry Neuville rounded out the top six. Meanwhile, Andreas Mikkelsen lost valuable time after running low on fuel late in the stage.
Friday’s competition kicked off with SS2 through SS9, spanning 126 km across stages such as Isegami Tunnel, Inabu-Shitara, and Shinshiro, with each stage run twice in the morning and afternoon. The day concluded with two runs of a Super Special Stage at Okazaki Central Park. The Isegami Tunnel stage, the longest of this rally at 23.67 km, is infamous for its narrow, high-stakes tunnel section—barely wide enough for a single car. Drivers must navigate this constricted passage at full speed before transitioning to a sweeping downhill section that tests precision and control. Although weather conditions were favorable this year, several parts of the stage were slippery with mud, adding to the difficulty and catching many competitors off guard. Championship leader Thierry Neuville took to the stage first, followed by Ott Tänak and Elfyn Evans. Most drivers opted for a mixed tire setup, combining hard and soft compounds.
Neuville led the field at the opening of the morning’s stages, but Tänak quickly claimed the overall lead, finishing just 0.5 seconds ahead of Neuville, with Evans close behind. Ogier and Katsuta faced tire punctures early on, losing critical time. SS3 saw Ogier clock the fastest time, but Tänak maintained his lead, slightly extending his gap over Neuville to 1.9 seconds.
Neuville’s car suffers drivetrain issues, significantly reducing his speed. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Drama unfolded in SS4 Shinshiro, where Neuville’s championship hopes took a hit due to drivetrain problems, forcing him to drastically reduce his speed. And this could increase Tanak’s chance of winning the championship. With no mid-day service break available, Neuville had to complete the remaining stages of the day in a compromised car. By the end of SS4, Evans had taken the lead, followed by Tänak, while Neuville was left trailing, his frustration palpable.
Mikkelsen retires after a collision with a tree in SS6. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Ott Tänak maintained his lead through Friday afternoon, while Toyota’s drivers kept up their pursuit. However, Hyundai’s double-title hopes took a major hit when Andreas Mikkelsen retired in SS6 after sliding on muddy terrain and colliding with a tree on a narrow section. By the end of SS9, Tänak remained in first place, followed by Evans, Fourmaux, Katsuta, and Ogier. Neuville dropped to 15th place, 1:12 behind Tänak. Reflecting on the tough day, Neuville shared: “It has definitely been tough. I can't really find any positives from the day.” In the WRC2 category, Gryazin took the lead, followed closely by Pajari.
Saturday began with the Kasagiyama (Mt.Kasagi) stage (16.47 km), followed by Nenoue Plateau and Ena, all mountainous stages repeated in the morning and afternoon. The day ended with a return to the Toyota Stadium Super Special Stage. The highlight was the 11.6 km Nenoue Plateau, which climbed to an altitude of 914 meters, fitting its name. The seven stages spanned a total distance of 103.87 km.
Neuville focused on recovering lost time after resolving his car’s mechanical issues. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
With his car repaired, Neuville began his comeback, finishing fifth in the opening Kasagiyama stage. He remarked: “Finally the car is working again. Today is all about to getting back into the points.” He also added: “No big surprice, just some slippery corners.”
Tänak keeps a rapid pace to retain the overall lead through Day 3. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Thierry Neuville fought hard to set the fastest time in SS11 and climbing to 12th place overall. Ott Tänak continued to lead the pack, while Neuville made steady progress. During SS12, Takamoto Katsuta lost time due to a half spin, and a civilian vehicle's unauthorized entry onto the course forced officials to cancel the stage. Drivers yet to compete were awarded identical times. Neuville moved up to ninth overall, re-entering the points zone. By overtaking Nikolay Gryazin and Sami Pajari from the WRC2 class, Neuville positioned himself just two places away from seventh, which would secure him four crucial points. This progress brought him closer to locking in the championship. At the end of Saturday, Tänak still held the overall lead, with Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier following. Adrien Fourmaux and Katsuta rounded out the top five, while Neuville finished the day in seventh place. With just two more points needed, Neuville’s path to the title now depended less on Tänak’s results.
Mikkelsen shows a rapid pace in the opening SS17 of Sunday’s final leg. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Hyundai’s Tänak retires after a crash, confirming Neuville as the champion. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Sunday, November 24, marked the climax of the 2024 WRC season with a series of five stages totaling 70.57 km, including the Nukata Forest and Mikawako Lake stages, as well as the Toyota Stadium Super Special Stage (SSS20). Andreas Mikkelsen opened strong by winning SS17, focusing all efforts on a strong finish for Hyundai after his earlier crash in SS6. Then, the drama intensified when Ott Tänak crashed out, effectively handing the Drivers’ Championship title to Thierry Neuville. This monumental moment made Neuville the first-ever Belgian WRC Champion, finally overcoming the obstacles that had kept the title just out of reach in previous years. It also marked Hyundai Motorsport’s first Drivers’ Championship victory, a historic milestone for the team.
Filled with joy and ambition, Neuville reflected on his win: “Honestly - it came as a surprise. I don't know what to say, but I think we deserve it. A lot more pressure than we needed for this last event, but we managed it as best as we could with the problems we had. We are a bit more relaxed now and we can push now to go home with all the trophies. We will go flat out.”
While Neuville’s title was secured, the battle for the Manufacturers’ Championship descended into chaos. With Tänak’s retirement, Toyota’s Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier collected 18 and 15 points on Saturday, respectively. On Sunday, Neuville and Mikkelsen claimed first and second place in the stages, leaving Hyundai and Toyota tied in points heading into the Power Stage scheduled in the afternoon.
Mikkelsen recovers from a collision with a tree to safely finish the stage. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
Neuville pushes to clinch the Manufacturers’ Championship for Hyundai. Photo: WRC (https://www.wrc.com)
The final stage, Mikawako, began with high stakes. Mikkelsen was the first Rally1 driver to hit the course. Despite a minor collision with a tree, he quickly recovered and completed the stage. Neuville followed, shaving 4.7 seconds off Mikkelsen’s time. However, Katsuta outpaced Mikkelsen, and Ogier eclipsed Neuville’s record, clinching the Manufacturers’ Championship title for Toyota by the narrowest of margins.
Since its official return to the WRC in 2014, Hyundai Motorsport has secured two Manufacturers’ Championship titles (2019 and 2020), cementing its reputation as a powerhouse team. Thierry Neuville, a long-time pillar of the team, finally claimed his long-awaited Drivers’ Championship title in 2024 after years of finishing just shy of the top spot. However, the team’s dream of taking both titles was dashed by Tänak’s late retirement, leaving Toyota to claim the Manufacturers’ title by just three points after entering the final stage tied with Hyundai. In WRC2, Sami Pajari secured the championship title, finishing second in class in Japan.
The 2024 season concluded in Japan, leaving just eight weeks until the 2025 season opener in Monte Carlo, scheduled for January 23–26. The new season brings several changes to the calendar and regulations; Croatia, Poland, and Latvia have been removed, and Estonia returns to the schedule. New rounds are added in the Canary Islands (Spain), Saudi Arabia, and Paraguay, increasing the season to 14 rounds.
There are other changes as well; The Rally1 hybrid system, introduced in 2022, will be retired starting with the 2025 season. While the system was intended to reflect the sport’s commitment to sustainability, rising repair costs and team concerns led to its discontinuation. With hybrids removed, minimum weight and engine intake restrictions will also be adjusted to reflect the lighter cars.
The Super Sunday scoring format, introduced in 2024, faced criticism for devaluing overall event wins. Discussions are ongoing to revise the system for 2025, ensuring a fairer points structure. Additionally, Hankook Tire has been named WRC’s official partner starting in 2025, supplying tires for three seasons. Quick adaptation to these new tires could significantly impact early-season performance.
Hyundai is also gearing up for a major shift in its motorsport strategy. The company has announced its entry into the top-tier endurance racing category, LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid), under the Genesis brand. While Hyundai celebrates its historic WRC success, this bold move into endurance racing showcases its ambition to dominate a new frontier in motorsport. Fans around the world are watching closely as Hyundai expands its motorsport legacy beyond the rally stages.
By Su-jin Lee
In 1991, Lee’s passion for cars led him to enthusiastically write letters to the newly launched Korean car magazine Car Vision. This unexpected connection led him to start his career as an automotive journalist. He has served as editor and editorial board member for ‘Car Vision’ and ‘Car life’, and now works as an automotive critic. While eagerly covering the latest trends like electric vehicles, connected cars, and autonomous driving technology, he is also a car enthusiast who secretly hopes that the smell of gasoline engines will never disappear.