KARPFHAM, Germany, October 20, 2024 – Hyundai Motorsport is celebrating a stunning victory – and double podium finish – after an exciting Super Sunday of Central European Rally in which Ott Tänak took control.The rally win, which culminated with Sunday’s final stages on German tarmac, comes ten years after Alzenau-based Hyundai Motorsport’s debut win in WRC, also on home soil at Rallye Deutschland 2014. The result equals Hyundai Motorsport’s most number of wins in a season, matching the team’s achievement of five victories in 2022.On Super Sunday, the sun broke free of the overcast clouds early in the morning – a reminder that fortunes can quickly change in the WRC. While the stages themselves were dry, conditions remained tricky with increasing pollution with every car and the ever-present threat of wet grass should a crew slide wide.Tänak began the day 5.2 seconds away from first place, but moved into the lead after a dramatic SS15 Knaus Tabbert Am Hochwald 1 that caught out several crews. A mistake from Sébastien Ogier handed the Estonian a 1.9-second advantage, but this was reduced by four-tenths of a second on SS16.Tänak pushed hard on SS17 to respond, setting the second-fastest time, before Ogier crashed and retired on the stage. The Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team driver now held a lead of 9.4 seconds, and provisionally maximum Saturday points, heading into the Power Stage. Not willing to risk valuable points, the Estonian crew’s measured drive on the final stage confirmed an excellent second win of the year.Thierry Neuville remained cautious through the final four stages in his Hyundai i20 N RALLY1 HYBRID. This calm determination reaped rewards for the Belgian, who moved into third place – and the associated championship points – after the retirement of Ogier on the penultimate stage. Fourth fastest on the Power Stage secured bonus points; as a result, Neuville will head to Rally Japan with an advantage of 25 points over team-mate Tänak.Andreas Mikkelsen had a character-building morning, suffering a puncture on the opening stage and hybrid issues on the start line of the next stage. The Norwegian saved his tyres for a final push on the Power Stage, in which he finished second to score four championship points.The fight for the triple crown of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) titles will move to Rally Japan, the final round of the season, where a tantalising climax of the 2024 season awaits. Neuville and Tänak are both in the drivers’ title hunt with their respective colleagues Martijn Wydaeghe and Martin Järveoja up for the co-drivers’ title. Hyundai Motorsport remains positive as it strives towards a third manufacturers’ championship to add to its 2019 and 2020 titles.

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