The thrilling 2024 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title race is set for a dramatic conclusion in Japan, following Ott Tänak’s victory at the penultimate round in Central Europe. The Estonian driver, behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID, claimed his second win of the season on Sunday, after rival Sébastien Ogier crashed out during a tense battle for the lead.
Tänak’s Dramatic Win
Tänak secured the win with a 7.0-second lead after Ogier’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID went off-course on a left-hand corner during the penultimate stage. Ogier, trailing Tänak by just 1.5 seconds at the time, was forced to retire, leaving the Estonian to claim victory. This marked Tänak’s 21st career WRC win, setting up an exciting showdown at the final round in Japan.
Tänak’s triumph also brought him closer to championship leader and Hyundai teammate Thierry Neuville, cutting the gap between them to just 25 points. Neuville had been on course to secure his maiden drivers’ title, but a costly spin on Saturday morning dented his hopes, ultimately placing him third in the rally. He finished 25.8 seconds behind Elfyn Evans, who secured second place in his Toyota GR Yaris.
Manufacturers’ Title Still in Play
Ogier’s crash wasn’t the only twist of the weekend. Despite his misfortune, strong performances by Evans and Toyota teammate Takamoto Katsuta on Super Sunday narrowed Hyundai’s lead in the manufacturers’ championship to 15 points. Katsuta was the fastest driver on the final day, including the decisive Wolf Power Stage, helping Toyota stay in the hunt for the title ahead of the finale in Japan.
Katsuta’s fourth-place finish, just behind Neuville, sets up a thrilling home event for the Japanese driver, as he prepares for Rally Japan in November.
Championship Showdown
The rally, which started in Prague on Thursday, tested drivers with challenging asphalt stages across the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany. Tänak, initially struggling with car setup and languishing in fifth place on Friday, found his rhythm as the rally progressed, delivering a strong finish to keep his championship hopes alive.
“Let’s see for the championship,” said Tänak, reflecting on his victory. “It’s always tough when something like that happens to a friend like Séb [Ogier], but we focused on bringing home the points.”
Across the service park, M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster equaled his career-best result, finishing fifth overall in his Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID, following a dramatic rollover by Sami Pajari’s Toyota GR Yaris on SS15.
Nikolay Gryazin, driving a Citroën C3 Rally2, won the WRC2 category, finishing sixth overall and beating Oliver Solberg by 26.1 seconds. Solberg remains in contention for the WRC2 title, which will also be decided in Japan. Filip Mareš, Miko Marczyk, and Kajetan Kajetanowicz rounded out the top 10 after four days of intense competition and over 300km of timed stages.
Rally Japan Awaits
The WRC season finale, FORUM8 Rally Japan, will take place in Aichi from November 21-24. Both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles are still up for grabs, promising an electrifying end to an already unforgettable season.
Rally Classification:
- O Tänak / M Järveoja (EST) Hyundai i20 N — 2h 37m 34.6s
- E Evans / S Martin (GBR) Toyota GR Yaris +7.0s
- T Neuville / M Wydaeghe (BEL) Hyundai i20 N +39.8s
- T Katsuta / A Johnston (JPN) Toyota GR Yaris +1m 21.0s
- G Munster / L Louka (LUX) Ford Puma +3m 41.9s
- N Gryazin / K Aleksandrov (BGR) Citroën C3 Rally2 +9m 17.6s
Category Winners:
- WRC: O Tänak / M Järveoja (EST) Hyundai i20 N
- WRC2: N Gryazin / K Aleksandrov (BGR) Citroën C3 Rally2
- WRC3: M Chatillon / M Cornuau (FRA) Renault Clio Rally3
FIA World Rally Championship Standings (after round 12 of 13):
- T Neuville — 225pts
- O Tänak — 200pts
- E Evans — 185pts
Source: WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Chatgpt
