Sun 10 Nov 2024
Hyundai Motorsport president and team principal Cyril Abiteboul says his drivers know what they have to do when they arrive at the season-closing FORUM8 Rally Japan later this month.
With the drivers’ title already secure – only i20 N Rally1 Hybrid drivers Thierry Neuville or Ott Tänak can win the 2024 championship – the battle against Toyota enters its final furlong in the makes’ race.
Asked if he would implement team orders on his drivers, Abiteboul said: “Really, it’s up to the drivers themselves.”
Season-long series leader Neuville arrives in Japan with a 25-point advantage over his Estonian team-mate and rival. That gap, according to Abiteboul, will impact on Neuville’s approach.
“I think he will be very risk averse,” added the Frenchman. “We will build our plan for the rally around that.
“The drivers’ title was our primary target from the start of the season, so we are naturally delighted that we will be celebrating this together in Japan. We will give full support to both Thierry and Ott as they take on the final round of the season, but we want to make sure we also finish strongly as a team. The manufacturers’ title fight is still close so we must as a team all be on our A-game in Japan to give Toyota the hardest time possible in their backyard.”
Hyundai holds a 15-point advantage over Toyota with one round remaining.
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