Tanak, Neuville to race in Kenya

As Kenya hosts the best in the world rallying scene in June during the Safari Raly which will be making a return to the World Rally Championship, Estonian Ott Tanak is expected to renew his rivalry with Belgian Thierry Neuville as the two try to outdo WRC 2020 champion, Sebastien Ogier. 

Tanak, currently teamed with Martin Jarveoja competing for Hyundai in the WRC, achieved his maiden drivers’ world title in the 2019 WRC, making him the first Estonian to win the drivers’ championship and the first non-french to win the title since Petter Solberg in 2003. He also revived Toyota’s lost glory as they had missed out on the drivers’ title since 1994.

 In the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Tanak and Jarveoja finished third in the overall drivers’ standings, behind rivals Neuville and Ogier. In October 2019 Tanak signed a two-year deal with Hyundai. He could have been selected number 1, which is reserved for the champion for the previous season but he decided to keep the number 8 during the season. 

On his part, Neuville has finished as runner-up in the drivers' championship five times (2013, 2016 and 2019). He helped Hyundai win their first manufacturers' title in 2019, as well as repeating the feat in 2020. His current co-driver is compatriot Martijn Wydaeghe.

Between 2009 and 2011 he competed in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, in 2009 he also made his WRC debut at the Rally Catalunya and in 2010 he competed in the Junior WRC. With promising results across the categories between 2009 to 2011, he was signed by the Citroen Junior Team and made his World Rally Car debut in 2012. In 2013, driving for the Qatar World Rally Team, he was a surprise runner-up in the championship, having scored his first podiums in the sport, finishing 114 points behind Ogier who dominated the season.

When Hyundai Motorsport re-entered the sport in 2014, the Korean manufacturer signed Neuville as their lead driver. Neuville won his first World Rally Championship event, as well as Hyundai's first, during that season, at the 2014 Rallye Deutschland.

In total, Neuville has won 13 world rallies, all for Hyundai. Initially known as an asphalt specialist, he has won events on asphalt and gravel. He has also won on snow, winning the Rally Sweden in 2018 and he became one of the few non-Nordic drivers to win the event. In addition to rallying, Neuville has also contested circuit racing, debuting in the 2019 German Touring Car Championship.

WRC champion set to rally in Kenya

The two will compete against Ogier who signed for Toyota for the 2020 season and will be driving a 2019 Toyota Yaris WRC.

 “The Toyota Yaris WRC is a new generation rally car tuned to near perfection in compliance with the 2017 FIA World Rally Car Technical Regulations. Under the hood, its 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo engine growls with 380 horsepower plus.

 The Yaris WRC incorporates the 2017 new World Rally Car regulations, and its high engine performance, intelligent 4WD system, and finely-tuned aerodynamics enable it to be driven safely and quickly on the world's diverse roads. While based on the previous year's vehicle, the 2019 specification Yaris WRC features improved each of its functions.

By applying what we learned from competing throughout two seasons since Yaris WRC returned to the race in 2017, we have been able to thoroughly enhance the vehicle's overall performance and reliability.” The Toyota team wrote on the car’s specifications.