Orders coming from Hyundai in Japan? "It's up to the drivers to decide"

here's one Rally Japan (November 21-24) with high stakes for Hyundai. On the lands of his rival Toyota, the South Korean manufacturer can win it all: the Constructors' title and the Drivers' title. It is the latter that is attracting all the attention of the crowd a few days before the grand finale.

As the final round of the season approaches, Hyundai is certain of one thing: the championship will be decided between its two drivers, Thierry Neuville et Ott Tänak. All Toyota drivers are definitely out of the title race. A detail that changes the situation for Cyril Abiteboul. Because the absence of any external threat does not force the president of Hyundai Motorsport to decide.

So, on the Japanese asphalt, he could let his drivers fight on equal terms. Without team orders? It will be up to them to decide., reply: the French leader.

I think he (Thierry Neuville) will be very reluctant to take risks. We will build our plan for the rally around that. The Drivers’ World Championship has been our main goal since the beginning of the season, so we are naturally delighted to celebrate it together in Japan. We will fully support Thierry and Ott in the final event of the season, but we also want to make sure we finish strongly as a team. The fight for the Constructors’ title is still tight, so as a team we need to deliver in Japan to give Toyota as much trouble as possible in their own backyard. »

Before heading to Japan, Thierry Neuville has a 25-point lead over Ott Tänak with only 30 left to distribute. Hyundai, for its part, has a 15-point lead over Toyota.

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