Toyota has retained its World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown after a thrilling battle with Hyundai that was settled on the powerstage of Rally Japan.
Thierry Neuville secured the drivers’ championship early on Sunday as Ott Tänak crashed out on the day’s first stage, which in-turn intensified the battle for the manufacturers’ prize.
Hyundai had carried a provisional 11-point advantage over Toyota into the final day, but Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier suddenly inherited top points for Toyota from Saturday and closed up on Hyundai.
However, new world champion Neuville and his team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen secured the top two spots on Super Sunday, meaning heading onto the powerstage the two teams could not be separated on a projected 553 points.
Mikkelsen was first up and produced a breathless run, including a brief off-road moment where he snapped a small tree: “I made a mistake – I’m sorry,” he said. “I hope Thierry’s up for it.”
Neuville was – faster through the stage by an impressive 4.7s, where he got to celebrate his drivers’ title success at the stop-line with his family and supporters.
“I’m feeling great to be honest, we worked for that for so long so super happy. We always give it all but this year we were rewarded for it,” Neuville beamed.
“I don’t have the words but I just want to thank everybody who was part of it, who supported and us and the team as well. I’m not sure it’s enough for the manufacturers’ but we’ll see – I tried my best.”
Hyundai did all it could, but Toyota retained the manufacturers' title for the fourth successive year
Takamoto Katsuta was the first of the three Toyotas to complete the stage and stopped the clocks 2.8s down on Neuville; splitting the two i20s.
“I was really trying from the beginning,” Katsuta admitted, “I was pushing too much and make a mistake. Fingers crossed for Séb and Elfyn – sorry to the fans I wasn’t able to take a podium this time.
“It could have been last rally for me also, so I had to take care. If something happened this could be last rally I think, but I managed so huge thanks to the team.”
Ogier was the penultimate contender in and produced some magic; 1.9s quicker than Neuville – and that was enough for Toyota to successfully defeat Hyundai to the title, provided rally winner Elfyn Evans finished the rally.
But that’s exactly what Evans did. Third on the powerstage confirmed that job was done, as Evans also secured his first victory of 2024 and claimed the runner-up spot in the championship.
Toyota’s eventual margin over Hyundai stood at three points.
“Very, very happy with the result and very happy for the team. Thank you to my team-mates also,” Evans said.
“It wasn’t the year we wanted and we’re sorry we couldn’t deliver one more championship, but we’ll try again next year.”
Behind Ogier, Adrien Fourmaux secured his fifth podium finish of the year (and first on Tarmac) in third. Katsuta was fourth with team-mate Grégoire equalling his best WRC result of fifth.
