Hyundai Motorsport has issued an apology to its driver Thierry Neuville after a disappointing performance at Rally Japan

Hyundai Motorsport has issued an apology to its driver Thierry Neuville after a disappointing performance at Rally Japan effectively ended his hopes of securing the World Rally Championship (WRC) title. Neuville entered the season finale with a slim chance of overtaking championship leader Kalle Rovanperä of Toyota. However, a series of mechanical issues with his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 dashed those hopes and left Neuville out of contention.

The Belgian driver faced problems early in the rally, including a transmission issue that hindered his performance. Hyundai’s team principal, Cyril Abiteboul, publicly acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, expressing regret for the technical failures that plagued Neuville’s car. “We let Thierry down at a crucial moment,” Abiteboul said. “The team takes full responsibility, and we deeply apologise for not providing a car capable of competing at the level needed for a championship challenge.”

Despite Neuville’s valiant efforts throughout the season, the issues in Japan underscored Hyundai’s ongoing struggle to match Toyota’s reliability and pace in the Rally1 hybrid era. Rovanperä, driving for Toyota Gazoo Racing, capitalised on the situation to secure his second consecutive WRC title, further solidifying Toyota’s dominance in the sport.

For Neuville, this marks another year of near-misses in his pursuit of a maiden WRC crown. While the Hyundai driver has consistently been among the fastest and most competitive in the field, technical setbacks and misfortune have often derailed his title campaigns.

Hyundai has vowed to address the reliability concerns that have hampered their performance. As the team looks ahead to the 2025 season, both Neuville and Hyundai will hope to rebuild and come back stronger in their quest for championship

glory.