Neuville: ‘Once you taste the WRC title, you want more’

Thierry Neuville says the hunger for a second World Rally Championship title is stronger than ever before entering the Monte Carlo season opener as the defending champion for the first time.

Neuville begins his title defense in Monte Carlo this week after achieving his ultimate dream last season as he puts aside the tagline of being the championship’s perennial runner-up.

The Hyundai driver admitted last year that winning the title provided a significant release of pressure after years of striving to reach the pinnacle of rallying.

Entering the new season at #1 with his Hyundai i20 N, the Belgian says last year’s success has only increased his desires to win more titles.

“Definitely (hungry for another title), once you get a taste of it you want more,” Neuville told Motorsport.com.

“It’s always like that with everything. Certainly, certainly what I want to do is give it everything we have in other years. If everything comes together we should be up there.

“Overall I would say we have obviously taken a bit of a burden off our shoulders to fight for the title and that title is something we have been chasing for a long time.

“Otherwise I would say the pressure to perform, the pressure to perform well for the team and the pressure to be the best is still the same.

“It will be exciting, it will be challenging and it will be difficult. I’m sure this pressure will benefit us to continue to push as hard as possible.”

When asked if being World Rally Champion now could help him perform even better in 2025, he said: “I don’t know. I think the challenges will remain the same, there will be ups and downs as always.

“We have to overcome those challenges, and face them and try to do the best we can – but think about points and the championship with the same strategy as last year

“I think there will be four to five drivers in the fight (for the title) with Ott (Tänak), Kale (Rovanperä), Elfin (Evans) and maybe Adrien (Fourmaux).”

Neuville’s title defense will begin in Monte Carlo with one of the WRC’s most demanding events this year for the crews following the introduction of new Hankook tires and the FIA’s move to remove hybrid power from Rally 1 cars. It will become even more difficult.

He added, “We are all clearly missing the experience with the new tires and now we can only gain more experience by rallying.”

“I think we have to take a smart approach to Monte Carlo and I think it will be a different Monte Carlo than previous years with some more wintry conditions. It won’t be easy but hopefully we can have a good start to the season.” Will be able to start.

“I would be happy to be on the podium and I am satisfied to be there but I am very happy to be on the top step.”