Thierry Neuville says the starvation for a second World Rally Championship title is stronger than ever heading into the Monte Carlo season opener because the defending champion for the primary time.
Neuville will start his title defence this week in Monte Carlo after lastly attaining his final dream final season, as he solid apart the tagline of being the championship’s perennial runner-up.
The Hyundai driver admitted final yr that profitable the title offered a major strain launch after years of striving to succeed in the top of rallying.
Heading into the brand new season with the #1 on the facet of his Hyundai i20 N, the Belgian says the success of final yr has additional fuelled his wishes for extra title glory.
“Positively [hungry for another title], when you style it you need extra,” Neuville informed Motorsport.com.
“It’s at all times like this with the whole lot. For certain, positively what I need to do is give it the whole lot like now we have completed within the different years. If the whole lot comes collectively we needs to be up there.
“Total I might say that now we have clearly taken a little bit of weight off our shoulders for the title struggle and that title is one thing now we have been chasing for some time.
Worldchampion Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Workforce
Photograph by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
“In any other case I might say the strain to carry out, the strain to ship for the crew and the strain to be the very best remains to be the identical.
“It will likely be thrilling, it will likely be difficult and it will likely be powerful. I’m certain that this strain can be benefiting us to constantly maintain pushing as onerous as we will.”
When requested if now being a world rally champion may truly assist him carry out even higher in 2025, he added: “I don’t know. I believe the challenges would be the identical, there can be ups and downs like at all times.
“We have now to beat these challenges, and face them and attempt to do the very best – however with an analogous technique to final yr desirous about the factors and the championship
“I believe it will likely be 4 to 5 drivers [in the title fight] with Ott [Tanak], Kalle [Rovanpera], Elfyn [Evans] and perhaps even Adrien [Fourmaux] becoming a member of the struggle.”
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Neuville’s title defence will start with one of many WRC’s most demanding occasions in Monte Carlo, which can be even trickier for crews this yr following the introduction of recent Hankook tyres and the FIA’s transfer to take away hybrid energy from Rally1 vehicles.
“We’re all clearly lacking expertise with the brand new tyres and we will solely get extra expertise now doing the rally,” he added.
“I believe we must have a intelligent method for Monte Carlo and I believe it will likely be a unique Monte Carlo than in earlier years with some extra wintry situations. It received’t be straightforward however hopefully we will get an excellent begin into the season.
“I might be glad to be on the rostrum and happy to be there however very glad to be on the highest step.”
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