Rally Japan top podium spot taken by Hyundai this weekend

Hyundai Motorsport concluded the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with a 1-2 end in Rally Japan, securing the workforce its fifth victory of the season and the second of the 12 months for Belgian crew Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe.
 
Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja accomplished the ultimate day of the brand new tarmac occasion in second place general to assert their eighth podium of the season – and sixteenth in complete since becoming a member of Hyundai Motorsport again in 2020. It represents a becoming finish to the Estonian crew’s three-season tenure with the squad, which attracts to an in depth with this constructive consequence.

Rally Japan closing day

On the ultimate day on the picturesque Japanese roads, crews negotiated 5 tough exams in difficult situations with rain arriving in the course of the morning. The schedule started with the brief 7.52km run by means of Asahi Kougen (SS15), which additionally acted because the season-closing Power Stage (SS19). The longest take a look at of the day, Ena City (SS16/SS18, 21.59km) adopted, with a single go of Nenoue Plateau (SS17, 11.60km) sandwiching the 2 repeated levels.
 
Both Hyundai Motorsport crews opted to take moist climate tyres as a part of their closing day bundle, in anticipation of rain which duly got here mid-morning. Neuville noticed his lead initially diminished to 0.6 seconds however a stage win on the next dry take a look at, and drama for Elfyn Evans, noticed the Belgian earn a cushty one-minute benefit – now over his Estonian team-mates. From there, each crews adopted a cautious strategy because the rain arrived to safe a 1-2 consequence.
 
In phrases of pure statistics, the 1-2 result’s an historic one for the workforce with many notable milestones. It is the twenty fifth victory for Hyundai Motorsport since becoming a member of the WRC in 2014, and with the top two positions, it scores the workforce its 99th and a centesimal particular person podium outcomes. Adding to the celebratory numbers, the workforce has additionally scored 5 wins in a single season for the primary time (following success in Sardinia, Finland, Ypres, and Greece) – all within the first season with its Hyundai i20 N Rally1, a a number of rally-winner on gravel and tarmac.  

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe

Neuville stated: “This victory feels implausible! It wasn’t a simple weekend, or certainly season, however to finish with this result’s unimaginable and reveals that the efficiency is there. Thanks to our climate man for a terrific job. We knew that the title chase was over, however the goal was to come back right here to Japan to win and we’ve achieved that with a 1-2.

“It has been a challenging season; we’ve shown a turnaround but there is still plenty of work left to do. Results like this give a special boost to the whole team. We know the areas where we need to improve; I keep believing in this team and I will keep pushing also.”

Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja

Tänak stated: “It is sweet to complete the season on the podium. These had been extraordinarily tough situations on the finish, and it’s been a demanding rally general. For the previous couple of occasions on tarmac, we’ve been missing some pace to be the place we ought to be. Still, we took the consequence that we might this weekend and there’s been nothing a lot left.

“We came to Hyundai Motorsport to fight for another championship title; obviously we have never delivered enough to achieve that, but it’s been an incredible experience. We’ve met another bunch of people and probably made some friends for life, so it’s been worth every year.” 
 
Deputy workforce director Julien Moncet stated: “Rally Japan has been an unimaginable occasion proper to the top with a whole lot of tales and speaking factors. Today was all in regards to the climate forecast and tyre decisions; once more, our workforce reacted nicely. The goal was actually to lose as little time as doable within the first levels within the dry situations, after which watch for the anticipated rain to reach.

“In these tough situations, Thierry and Martijn managed to maintain the lead and took their second win of the season. Ott and Martin stepped up one place to finish second of their closing rally with Hyundai Motorsport. We want them good luck for the long run after our three seasons working collectively.

“This rally has been, for us, a reflection of our entire season; the start was dramatic, but we never gave up. Despite some issues, we fought back and finished on a high in one of our most successful seasons. This win will give us the necessary positive momentum to come back even stronger in 2023. The team has now all the tools in hands to fight for championships, our sole and only target.”

Final leads to Rally Japan:

WRC Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings

2022 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers’ Standings 

After spherical 13

Posted by Hyundai South Africa on Quickpic News

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