Hyundai’s acting team manager Julien Moncet had reason to be happy again when the World Rally Championship in Greece came to an end on Sunday.
Ott Tänak let the fire go in the direction of his stable. PDO
For the first time in its history, Hyundai Motorsport was able to celebrate a triple victory in the World Rally Championship, when Thierry Neuville drove to first place, Ott Tänak second and Dani Sordo third in the Akropolis rally.
Hyundai’s early season was quiet, but in the last few races the team has been hitting hard and at the same time overtook Toyota in the Manufacturers’ World Series.
– We have written new pages in the history books this season and hopefully we will write even more. This is a magical and historic moment for our team, Acting Team Manager Julien Moncet glowed.
– We have now achieved four victories this season and three in a row. It brings more confidence in what we do and we can be proud. Today we can celebrate a bit, but on Monday we start preparing for the New Zealand World Rally Championship.
Tänak, who drove second in the dirt race, is the leading Toyota driver in the World Series Kalle Rovanperän the closest threat in this season’s championship fight. Rovanperä was out of the points in Greece, and at the same time Tänak reduced the Finnish lead to 53 points.
Tänak could be even closer to Rovanpere, if Hyundai had, by order of the team, lifted the Estonian to victory in the Greek Rally ahead of Neuville. The team somewhat surprisingly left this card unused.
Moncet gave Iltalehti the reasons why the team decided to suspend Neuville and Tänak’s situation on Sunday.
– It’s never an easy decision. Jari-Matti Latvala too said everyone hates decisions like that – I hated it too. But we made a decision that, in addition to me, was being made by the team manager, our chairman and part of the company, Moncet said.
– Half support such decisions and half disagree. My opinion doesn’t matter because the decision was made as a team. That’s it, he wrapped up the decision.
It appeared to Tänak
Hyundai celebrated a triple victory. PDO
After Moncet’s answer, a strange situation was seen in the interview area, when the team boss went to listen to Tänak’s statements to the TV cameras.
Moncet’s expression was worth seeing when Tänak made this comment in front of C More’s TV crew:
– We were offered a gift that we didn’t take advantage of.
Tänak made it clear in several interviews that he would have liked to have his team’s support for the World Cup battle.
– It was the team’s decision and we have to respect it, Tänak stated to Iltalehte.
The next round of the World Rally Championship season will be held between September and October in New Zealand, where Rovanperä will have a new chance to try to win the championship.