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 supplied a big stress launch after years of striving to achieve the head of rallying.
Heading into the brand new season with the #1 on the aspect of his Hyundai i20 N, the Belgian says the success of final yr has additional fuelled his wishes for extra title glory.
“Undoubtedly [hungry for another title], when you style it you need extra,” Neuville instructed Motorsport.com.
“It’s at all times like this with every part. For positive, positively what I need to do is give it every part like we have now accomplished within the different years. If every part comes collectively we ought to be up there.
“General I might say that we have now clearly taken a little bit of weight off our shoulders for the title combat and that title is one thing we have now been chasing for some time.
Worldchampion Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Crew
Photograph by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
“In any other case I might say the stress to carry out, the stress to ship for the group and the stress to be one of the best remains to be the identical.
“Will probably be thrilling, will probably be difficult and will probably be robust. I’m positive that this stress shall be benefiting us to constantly preserve pushing as laborious as we will.”
When requested if now being a world rally champion might truly assist him carry out even higher in 2025, he added: “I don’t know. I believe the challenges would be the similar, there shall be ups and downs like at all times.
“We have now to beat these challenges, and face them and attempt to do one of the best – however with the same technique to final yr serious about the factors and the championship
“I believe will probably be 4 to 5 drivers [in the title fight] with Ott [Tanak], Kalle [Rovanpera], Elfyn [Evans] and possibly even Adrien [Fourmaux] becoming a member of the combat.”
Neuville’s title defence will start with one of many WRC’s most demanding occasions in Monte Carlo, which shall be even trickier for crews this yr following the introduction of latest Hankook tyres and the FIA’s transfer to take away hybrid energy from Rally1 automobiles.
“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 should have a intelligent method for Monte Carlo and I believe will probably be a special Monte Carlo than in earlier years with some extra wintry situations. It received’t be straightforward however hopefully we will get a great begin into the season.
“I might be glad to be on the rostrum and glad to be there however very glad to be on the highest step.”
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