Ott Tänak joins Hyundai again for 2024 World Rally Championship
Hyundai Motorsport has announced its clear intentions to compete at the forefront of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) by fielding a proven title-winning line-up of Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak next season.
Image supplied by Hyundai
Tänak, with co-driver Martin Järveoja, returns to the Hyundai team where he claimed five wins across a three-season period from 2020, intent on helping Hyundai Motorsport to further championship success. The Estonian is one of the most versatile drivers in the sport and played a key role in the defence of the team’s manufacturers’ crown in 2020.
Neuville, who has taken 18 of the team’s 26 WRC victories to date, has been a firm fixture in the Alzenau-based squad since its debut season in 2014. The team remains loyal to the Belgian who has helped cement two manufacturers’ titles in 2019 and 2020.
Hyundai Motorsport will take its time to explore various options for the rest of its 2024 WRC line-up.
The re-signing of Tänak alongside Neuville reaffirms the team’s commitment to the WRC. The 2024 season is an important milestone in the company’s history, marking the tenth anniversary of its debut in the series.
Hyundai Motorsport president Sean Kim said:
“With Thierry and Ott, Hyundai Motorsport has two of the most talented and competitive crews leading the charge for our 2024 campaign. This combination is a proven success; it yielded our second manufacturers’ title in 2020, and in 2022 we claimed our highest number of wins in a single season. We are delighted to welcome Ott back into our fold.”
Hyundai Motorsport team principal Cyril Abiteboul said:
“Hyundai Motorsport exists to ultimately fight for rally wins and championship titles. We want to be seen as a credible contender with the tools to do the job; that means the car, the organisation, and the driving talent. In exploring our options for 2024, I opened a discussion with Ott, who was excited by the renewed ambitions and structure that we are putting in place."
“We are pleased that he is ready to resume the unfinished business that he has with our team. I am confident that, in the right environment, Thierry and Ott can bring out the best in each other. With this pair of winning crews secured, we can take some time to strategically consider our full line-up for next season.”
Tänak said he was excited to re-join Hyundai Motorsport from the 2024 WRC season.
“Since our paths parted exactly one year ago, the team has been working very hard on the new technical structure. Hyundai Motorsport has a clear vision and target for the near future, and it is something that convinced me to join our forces again. I am also looking forward to work with Cyril Abiteboul and François-Xavier Demaison, as their experience and knowledge in motorsport is definitely a big advantage for the whole team. Our goal in this new chapter will be nothing less than to win all three titles, and with the new structure of the team, we have all the tools needed to achieve it. Game on!”
