Thierry Neuville, a champion worthy of a rock star in Belgium

The fever, fanned at dawn on November 24 by the arrival of the Rally from Japan, did not fall back in Belgium. Ten days later, on the evening of December 4, more than 2 Belgians came to celebrate and thank Thierry NeuvilleIn St. Vith, the local boy was welcomed like a rock star, to the music of "We are the Champions" of Queen.

« I wanted this party to take place here in this small town where I grew up, explained the hero. It's a way to thank the local authorities, but also the fans who have been following me since the beginning. I knew that many people had booked their free entry to the event, but I was still very surprised to see the Triangle (the city's cultural space. Editor's note) crowded to this point. It's a huge source of pride for me." 

And the pilot Hyundai to believe that his coronation will contribute to shedding new light on his discipline. "Since the arrival, the view of many people has changed with regard to our sport. There are more people who now understand the mechanics of rallying better and are aware of the enormous amount of work that it requires in advance. It's crazy how much media enthusiasm there has been since we returned home. For an entire day, we went to all the television sets in the country. I was even invited to the TV news. It seems that they never receive anyone anymore."

Among the thousands of congratulatory messages he received, one particularly surprised him. “King Philippe and Queen Mathilde sent me a text message after I had just crossed the finish line. Their responsiveness was impressive.”

A culmination

Until December 21, Neuville will make a series of public appearances, such as at the Emmels municipal school, where he wore out his short pants in kindergarten and primary school. As for the message that the pilot wants to convey to young people, it is clear. "I don't want to make them believe that it's easy. Becoming a driver is complicated. Living from your passion is even more so. But Martijn (Wydaeghe, his co-driver. Editor's note) and I are proof that we can do it with hard work. We were spotted by the Federation's channel (the RACB National Team. Editor's note). From that moment on, we never stopped believing in it and working hard."

Will this world title that Thierry has been chasing for so many years change anything in his life? "Yes and no, he retorts. On a personal level, it won't change anything. I'm often told that a title is for life. So, even when I hang up my helmet, I suppose people will still talk to me about it. But this crown also symbolizes an achievement, the only box that was left to tick. We will be able to start the next season with less pressure on our shoulders."

By the way, at 36, does Thierry Neuville see himself as a pilot for a long time to come? “Certainly! Our programme is assured for 2025. We are waiting for the new FIA regulations regarding the WRC and, in the process, Hyundai's communication; but I am confident. The group is looking to expand its involvement in motorsport by committing to WEC with Genesis (see page 6), but rallying is still part of his priority program. And when I'm no longer in WRC, I'll probably be tempted by other disciplines: the 24 Hours of Spa, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or the rally-raid. But we are not there yet.

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