Thierry Neuville clinched his first FIA World Rally Championship drivers' title at Rally Japan, while Toyota Gazoo Racing secured the manufacturers' crown in a thrilling season finale.

Neuville's championship victory came after teammate Ott Tanak crashed out while leading on Sunday's opening stage. The Belgian, who had previously finished runner-up five times, became the first Belgian WRC champion and delivered Hyundai's first drivers' title in their decade-long WRC involvement.

Toyota claimed their eighth manufacturers' title by just three points over Hyundai, the closest margin since 1983. The Japanese manufacturer's success came through strong performances from Sebastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, and Takamoto Katsuta in the final Power Stage.

Evans inherited the rally win after Tanak's retirement, securing second place in the championship standings. Ogier finished second, 1m27.3s behind Evans, while Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1.

In WRC2, Sami Pajari and co-driver Enni Malkonen won the 2024 title with a second-place finish in class. Nikolay Gryazin took the class victory in Japan, leading from start to finish in his Citroen C3.

Final Rally Japan Results:

1. Evans/Martin (Toyota) 3h23m41.0s
2. Ogier/Landais (Toyota) +1m27.3s
3. Fourmaux/Coria (Ford) +1m55.5s

Final 2024 WRC Standings: Drivers:

1. Neuville 242 points
2. Evans 210
3. Tanak 200

Manufacturers:

1. Toyota Gazoo Racing 561 points
2. Hyundai Motorsport 558
3. M-Sport Ford 295

The 2025 WRC season will feature an expanded 14-round calendar, including new events in Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, and Spain's Canary Isles, starting with the Monte Carlo Rally on January 23-26.

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