Thierry Neuville and Est Ott Tänak will also drive the World Rally Championship for Hyundai Motorsport in the coming years. Hyundai Motorsport announced this in a press release on Thursday.
Neuville, who has been with the South Korean manufacturer since 2014, is adding another three years. Since 2014, Neuville has won 13 World Cup rallies and finished two in a row in the World Championship four times in a row. Neuville also had a significant share in Hyundai’s double world title with the manufacturers over the past two years. Ott Tänak joined Hyundai Motorsport as world champion in 2020. He won the Estonia rally last season and was on the podium three times.
Thierry Neuville and Hyundai Motorsport are inextricably linked. Both parties have been working together since 2014. The Belgian has played a fundamental role in the development and progress the team has made over the past seven years. On its debut in 2014, Neuville won its first World Cup rally in Germany. Seven years later, the counter for the Belgian stands at thirteen victories, two world titles with the constructors and several vice-world titles. That means that the Belgian has grown into the team. Together they are now taking a step into a new era with hybrid rally cars. Including the three-year contract that Neuville signed, he will soon have worked for Hyundai Motorsport for ten years. Such a long collaboration is unseen.
“I’m happy”
“My intention was to continue my work in the WRC with Hyundai Motorsport. I am happy to sign a multi-year contract with the team that has become my second family, ”says Thierry Neuville. “In addition to feeling good there, their determination and drive to always try to win convinced me to continue the fantastic journey we started together seven years ago. Their approach and ambitions for next year’s new challenges, with the new hybrid WRC rules, are also very promising. I love rallying and I’m not ready to quit yet. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a child and thanks to Hyundai and my strong motivation, dedication and determination, I keep giving the best of myself! ”
“We are delighted to be able to continue our relationship with Thierry and Ott beyond 2021 with multi-year agreements,” says team leader Andrea Adamo. “By continuing to work with these two talented drivers in the future, we once again demonstrate our continued determination and ambition to succeed in the WRC and reaffirm Hyundai’s strong commitment to the championship entering its new hybrid era in 2022. . Both Thierry and Ott have proven to be exceptional ambassadors for the brand and the team. I would like to thank Thierry for his loyalty to Hyundai Motorsport since 2014 and Ott for his trust in us and our work. We are very happy that we can continue to work with them. We will soon begin the crucial testing phase of our new car. We can implement a smooth test plan together with Thierry and Ott. ”
By confirming the contracts from Neuville and Tänak as early as May, the Alzenau team can now place full focus on the development of the new rally car. The prototype, based on the Hyundai i20 N street version, will enter the testing phase in the near future.
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