One of them is a former Champion, the other has long been a Champion in waiting, and now Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville have penned multi-year agreements to extend their stays at Hyundai Motorsports WRC. The move (announced on 06 May) will see the pair drive the teams new Hybrid Car in the World Rally Championship in 2022 and beyond.
For Neuville, it sees an extension of a long-tenured partnership with the manufacturer that harks back to 2014. He has since helped Hyundai Motorsports claim two Constructors WRC Title’s, in 2019 and 2020. The Belgian has yet to replicate that success in an individual capacity, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Neuville has finished runner-up in the WRC a staggering five times, four of them being for Hyundai. He will be hoping that this new deal will allow him to finally claim that elusive title.
“I’m happy to sign a multi-year contract with the team which became my second family,” enthused Neuville. “Besides the fact that I feel really well with them, their determination and target for victory convinced me to pursue the fantastic journey we started together more than seven years ago.
“Their approach and ambitions on the new challenges coming next year, with the new WRC hybrid regulations, is also very promising,” he added.
2019 World Champion Ott Tänak will be hoping to recreate his Toyota Gazoo Racing form with his new Hyundai deal. A two-time rally winner with his new team, and 3rd in the 2020 standings in defence of his title. 2021 so far has been a mixed bag for the Estonian, retiring in Monte Carlo, winning Arctic Rally Finland, and struggling to get to grips with the Asphalt of Croatia en route to fourth. Tanak is excited at what the future holds, but is keen to end this year on a high;
“I am looking forward to the new era of the WRC, but we still have a job to do this year – making sure we send off the current generation of WRC cars in the best possible way,” said the Estonian.
In re-signing both Neuville and Tänak for 2022 and beyond Hyundai Motorsports Team Principal Andrea Adamo has a winning combination on his hands, and is understandably enthralled to build on past success with the pair;
“Working with these two talented drivers in the future demonstrates once again our continuous determination and ambition to succeed in the World Rally Championship and reaffirms Hyundai’s strong commitment to the series as it enters its new hybrid era in 2022.”
Who will be joining both Tänak and Neuville in the future has yet to be determined. Currently, the 3rd Hyundai i20 WRC car is shared between Craig Breen and Danni Sordo. Not only that, but young Norwegian Oliver Solberg has already had one outing for Hyundai in the WRC and is set for a return. Time will tell who will be continuing with the manufacturer for 2022 and beyond. However, with Neuville and Tänak on board for the foreseeable future, the future for Hyundai Motorsports WRC is secure and very bright indeed.
