Ott Tanak says serving to Hyundai win the World Rally Championship producers’ title stays his precedence regardless of provisionally decreasing team-mate Thierry Neuville‘s drivers’ factors lead on the Central European Rally.
Tanak headed into the WRC’s penultimate spherical 29 factors adrift of Neuville, understanding his team-mate may declare a maiden world title if he outscored him by two factors.
Neuville was on the right track to do this, having led the rally till stage 11, when two off-road excursions dropped the Belgian to fourth, whereas Tanak ended the day in second, 5.2s adrift of chief Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier.
Previous to Neuville’s mistake, Tanak had closed to inside 0.8s of his team-mate after successful stage 9.
Tanak revealed on the noon service that his pace prompted messages reminding him of the dangers at stake regarding the producers’ title battle from the Hyundai group principal Cyril Abiteboul, who’s eager to ship the Korean marque’s first title since 2020.
Nonetheless, below the brand new factors system for this 12 months, Tanak stands to take not less than 5 factors out of Neuville’s lead if he finishes the rally, which may make sure the title battle will go all the way down to season finale in Japan subsequent month.
The factors margin between the drivers may fluctuate once more on Sunday with 12 factors on supply below the Tremendous Sunday format.
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Workforce Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Picture by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
Regardless of the attainable factors swing, the 2019 world champion says the drivers’ title just isn’t his foremost focus, and that defending Hyundai’s 17-point lead over Toyota is the principle goal.
“Tomorrow we nonetheless have to hold pushing as we have now completed up to now, and it is very important rating factors tomorrow,” stated Tanak.
“The producers’ title is so open it’s actually my first precedence. The drivers’ title remains to be as much as Thierry and what he needs to do with that. The Toyotas are so quick in the meanwhile I have to handle with them.”
Whereas upset by the errors that price him priceless championship factors, Neuville says his plan for Sunday is to push for Tremendous Sunday factors to bolster his title hopes.
Neuville may nonetheless elevate the title on Sunday though it’s extremely doubtless he’ll want Tanak to have an issue.
“There was an opportunity for a greater outcome in the present day but it surely may have been worse. We didn’t count on to be within the lead after the primary day of a rally that we didn’t have to win, however the rhythm was there and the automobile was working effectively,” stated Neuville.
“At present was more difficult and a small mistake within the recce [when making pacenotes] price essential seconds within the struggle for victory. We misplaced a couple of positions however we’re nonetheless within the race.
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Workforce
Picture by: McKlein / Motorsport Photographs
“I feel we have now to drive quick [on Sunday] and take the utmost factors, however we positively have to convey the automobile dwelling.”
Cautious of the group’s place within the producers’ title battle, Abiteboul has set a goal for Neuville on Sunday.
“If Thierry does it [wins the drivers’ title on Sunday], it might in all probability imply one thing unhealthy must occur to Ott and that isn’t what I want for proper now,” stated Abiteboul.
“I feel the goal for Thierry might be to get not less than 30 factors forward of Seb [Ogier in the championship], and if he can do that we are going to be in a good place to handle the drivers’ title in Japan.”
