Just over a week has passed since Thierry Neuville immortalized himself as a World Rally champion. And that feels particularly appropriate when you consider the story of the man that guided him there.
Martijn Wydaeghe.
The Belgian will be the first to tell you that his meteoric rise wasn’t quite as sudden as it perhaps looked to the outside world. But with just one week’s notice, Wydaeghe was thrust into the #11 i20 Coupe WRC – for the Monte Carlo Rally no less – with no prior experience at the top of the World Rally Championship, and had to get on with it.
The podium result the pair achieved that weekend spoke volumes. And four seasons and eight rally wins later, Wydaeghe’s world champion title proves he’s a swimmer, not a sinker. Maybe even the missing ingredient Neuville needed to finally realize his dream.
“I owe Martijn a lot,” Neuville admits. “He’s very dedicated and meticulous and a very positive person, which mirrors my mentality too. We keep our heads up even in the most difficult situations; we stay calm and focused on the task at hand, which was exactly what I was looking for and what I like about my collaboration with Martijn. He is very professional in what he does.”
Neuville and Wydaeghe scored a podium together on debut, and have gone from strength to strength since
Over the years, Neuville’s speed has always been without question. So too is his tenacity – history is filled with examples where Neuville has just refused to wave the white flag.
And unlike others who have flirted with the world title but never grabbed it, Neuville’s been able to learn from his mistakes and looks a touch more composed, consistent and possibly even controlled over the course of a season.
It’s hard to ascertain the true impact Wydaeghe has had in this regard, but he certainly hasn’t destabilized Neuville’s ship since joining him inside the cockpit.
Ironically, prior to 2024 Neuville’s championship results had technically gone backwards. Five times a runner-up in the 2010s (including four times on the trot between 2016-19), Neuville was third from 2021-23, and even fourth in 2020.
But cast the magnifying glass over those performances, and a clearer picture emerges. Neuville’s been performing at a level worthy of being world champion for a while now, he’s just needed the tools and environment to enable him to get there.
Wydaeghe recognizes this when asked what the difference has been with Neuville this year to make him world champion.
“To be honest, I don’t see a difference between ’21 and now,” Wydaeghe tells DirtFish. “I think every single piece that we need came all together this year.
Wydaeghe credits the team personnel and environment at Hyundai for their 2024 success
“I mean, the team has evolved as well. We have a good structure, a good management, key people in the technical side as well, Christian [Loriaux], F-X [Demaison]. They all bring their knowledge together and this really improves the team.
“And I mean, the mechanics and all the people around us, they all give their best. They were believing in us and everybody in the team and everything just came together so we didn’t… it was not only Thierry and myself but it was really all the team together that make these things happen.”
Wydaeghe’s had a huge role to play in the success; his commitment, professionalism and calmness second to none. He’s come on a long way in just a short space of time, when he was having to tune his accent and natural way of talking to suit Neuville’s needs with pacenote delivery.
It was an effort he was always willing to make.
“I think it’s well deserved that we have this title,” he says, “but also it reminds me of all the sacrifices I did in my life until now. Also, like the people around me, they realize this. And yeah, I think I owe them some good presents now because I’ve been away from home a lot.
“I’ve been sacrificing everything to perform at this highest level. So I’m very proud of the effort I put into it. It’s a dream that comes true, so I’m a very happy man at the moment.
We realized during the seven gravel events that it was a big challenge. But thanks to our good mindset, we kept goingMartijn Wydaeghe
“It went down to the wire and it was quite stressful for us during the season. A lot of pressure, a big challenge, but I think we learned a lot during the season and that’s why we were able also this weekend [in Japan], even with the problems on Friday, to just keep focusing, just yeah, sticking to the goals that we set before and just give our best.”
Right from the outset, 2024 has felt like Neuville and Wydaeghe’s year. The win at the Monte was emphatic both in its timing and delivery, and set them up for a year of defending their lead.
Even when they went off in Sardinia, they never looked to be in trouble after a flawless Sunday performance (full points from Super Sunday and the powerstage) acted as the perfect save.
“We kept believing,” Wydaeghe says. “We realized during the seven gravel events that it was a big challenge. But thanks to our good mindset, we kept going, especially turning everything around on Sunday was a strong point of us.
“And this is why we were able to score many points every rally again, apart from Latvia, where we scored only nine points. But still, nine points in such a difficult weekend, that was really good.
“So yeah, I think we showed, even in a difficult condition, that we were able to do a very good job. And yeah, I’m proud of that.”
It’s all down to that tenacity that has made them so famous. And now it’s delivered them the world title they’ve long craved and deserved – albeit in unusual circumstances just after Sunday’s first stage.
Wydaeghe and Neuville finally celebrate their title success at the end of Rally Japan
“Yeah, I was quite shocked and surprised at the same time, relieved at the same time, so it was a mix of emotions,” Wydaeghe reflects, recalling the moment he officially became world champion.
“Our goal was to take those two points, but also to take as many points as possible for the manufacturers’, because we really wanted to win this one as well, to give something back to the mechanics and to the whole team, because for them it’s really important as well.
“OK, unfortunately it didn’t go that way. So yeah, it was a small relief. But at the same time, I realized that we should keep going. I think you saw this on the road section as well [that I was focused].”
And just to illustrate that mindset even further, here’s Wydaeghe’s response to being asked to rate his season out of 10.
“Ten is perfection and we are not perfect. I mean, nobody is,” he says. “I know that sometimes Colin [Clark] is giving drivers a 10, which is OK. But I believe that it’s good to keep yourself with a little margin.
“There is always room for improvement. It’s the only way to perform better and better. So, yeah, a 9 on 10 is quite good. But at the end, this 9 on 10 does not change my life.
“But being champion, this is changing my life. So I’m really happy with that.”
Additional reporting by David Evans.
