2024 World Rally Champion · WRC

Thierry Neuville

Five times the championship runner-up before he finally won it, and the first Belgian ever to take the world rally title. The official Neuville collection: the Citroën years, the near misses, and 2024.

Nationality
Belgian
Born
16 June 1988 · St. Vith, Belgium
Teams
Citroën Junior · Qatar · Hyundai
Championships
1 (2024) · runner-up in 2013 and 2016–2019
WRC starts
193
Co-drivers
Nicolas Gilsoul · Martijn Wydaeghe
Shop the Collection Watch highlights
Graphic illustration of WRC driver Thierry Neuville wearing his light blue and dark blue Hyundai Shell Mobis racing suit, featuring his number 11 Hyundai i20 N Rally1 race car
2024 World Rally Champion
2009 — Present
1
World Championship
23
WRC Victories
76
Podium Finishes
193
WRC Starts

Who is Thierry Neuville?

Thierry Neuville (born 16 June 1988) is a Belgian rally driver who won the 2024 World Rally Championship with Hyundai, the first Belgian to take the drivers' title. He had finished runner-up five times before it, in 2013 and from 2016 to 2019. He has 23 world rally wins and 76 podiums from 193 starts, all of the wins for Hyundai.

Full name
Thierry Jean Neuville
Nationality
Belgian
WRC career
2009–present
Best known for
The first Belgian World Rally Champion, in 2024

By Kozmozracing Editorial Published Updated 9 sources

Rider Profile

Thierry Neuville: Full Biography

Thierry Neuville is a Belgian rally driver who won the World Rally Championship in 2024, the first Belgian to take the drivers’ title. He has driven for Hyundai since the manufacturer returned to the championship in 2014, and all twenty-three of his world rally wins have come with the team.

St. Vith He comes from Belgium’s German-speaking east and is a native German speaker, although he calls his pacenotes in French. He started rallying in 2007, came through the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the Junior World Rally Championship, and made his world championship debut at Rally Catalunya in 2009.

Runner-Up Citroën Junior gave him his first World Rally Car in 2012, and in 2013, with the Qatar World Rally Team, he was a surprise championship runner-up on seven podiums and no wins. Hyundai signed him as their lead driver for 2014 and he won Rallye Deutschland that year, his first victory and theirs. He then finished second in the championship four seasons running, from 2016 to 2019.

2024 Three consecutive third places followed, and then the title. He won the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally and the Acropolis Rally in 2024 and scored consistently enough to confirm the championship before the final stage in Japan. He has 76 podiums from 193 starts and continues to drive for Hyundai.

The Career

Three Chapters That Defined Thierry Neuville

Chapter 01

Qatar Money and a Citroën

He was born in St. Vith, in the German-speaking community of eastern Belgium, and is a native German speaker who calls his pacenotes in French. He started rallying in 2007, spent three seasons in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, contested the Junior World Rally Championship in 2010 and made his world championship debut at Rally Catalunya in 2009. Results across those categories brought him to the Citroën Junior Team, and in 2012 he drove a World Rally Car for the first time, with Qatari backing on the nose and Nicolas Gilsoul beside him. The following season, with the Qatar World Rally Team, he finished the championship second — seven podiums, not a single win, and 114 points behind Sébastien Ogier. It remains one of the least expected runner-up finishes the championship has produced.

Thierry Neuville's Red Bull-liveried Citroën DS3 WRC, car 8, cornering on tarmac at the Rallye de France-Alsace in 2012, a Belgian flag painted on the roof and Qatar lettering on the nose. Citroën DS3 WRC · Rallye de France-Alsace, 2012 Photo: Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul, Citroën DS3 WRC, Rallye de France-Alsace (2012) by Florival fr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized) · licence
Chapter 02

Five Times Second

Hyundai came back to the world championship in 2014 and signed him as their lead driver. He won Rallye Deutschland that first season, the team's first victory as well as his own, and finished sixth overall in 2014 and again in 2015. Then came four consecutive runner-up seasons: a distant second to Ogier in 2016, narrow defeats by Ogier in 2017 and 2018, and second to Ott Tänak in 2019. Known at first as an asphalt specialist, he won on gravel too, and in 2018 took Rally Sweden to become one of the few drivers from outside the Nordic countries to win the championship's only pure winter event. His 2019 season, second in the drivers' standings, carried Hyundai to their first manufacturers' title, and they retained it in 2020. Counting 2013, that made five runner-up finishes in seven years.

Thierry Neuville's blue Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC on the gravel of the Saalahti stage at Rally Finland in 2017, kicking up dust with fireweed on the bank behind. Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC · Saalahti, Rally Finland, 2017 Photo: Thierry Neuville, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Saalahti, Rally Finland (2017) by Antti Leppänen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized) · licence
Chapter 03

First Belgian

Three third places in a row followed, in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and then it finally came. He won the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in 2024 and the Acropolis Rally, and scored consistently enough across the rest of the year that mechanical trouble at the finale in Japan could not undo it: the championship was confirmed before the final stage. He was the first Belgian to win the drivers' title and the first Hyundai driver to do it, after eleven seasons with the team and four alongside Martijn Wydaeghe. He has kept winning since — Rally Saudi Arabia at the end of 2025, the event at which Ogier collected a ninth championship, and Rally de Portugal in 2026.

Thierry Neuville's Hyundai i20 N Rally1, car 11, turning in on an asphalt stage at the 2023 Central European Rally, a Belgian flag stripe across the roof and his and Martijn Wydaeghe's names on the side window. Hyundai i20 N Rally1 · Central European Rally, 2023 Photo: Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai i20 N Rally1, Central European Rally (2023) by Lukas Raich / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized) · licence
Career Timeline

Thierry Neuville Career Timeline: 1988–Present

Born in St. Vith

Thierry Jean Neuville is born on 16 June in St. Vith, in the German-speaking east of Belgium.

Starts Rallying

Begins competing, and moves into the Intercontinental Rally Challenge two years later.

WRC Debut

Makes his world championship debut at Rally Catalunya.

Junior WRC

Contests the Junior World Rally Championship.

Citroën Junior

A first season in a World Rally Car, with Qatari backing.

Surprise Runner-Up

Seven podiums for the Qatar team and second in the championship, 114 points behind Ogier.

Hyundai

Signed as the returning manufacturer's lead driver, and wins Rallye Deutschland — his first and theirs.

Second Again

The first of four consecutive runner-up finishes.

Sweden

Wins the championship's only pure winter rally.

Manufacturers' Title

Second in the drivers' standings, and Hyundai take their first manufacturers' championship.

World Champion

The first Belgian to win the drivers' title, confirmed before the final stage in Japan.

Saudi Arabia

Wins the closing rally of the season, the one at which Ogier takes a ninth title.

Portugal

A twenty-third world rally win, and a twelfth season with Hyundai.

By the Numbers

Thierry Neuville WRC Record, Season by Season

Thierry Neuville season-by-season record: team, wins, starts, podiums, points and final standing.
SeasonTeam Wins Starts Podiums Points Pos.
2009 Private 0 1 0 0 –
2010 Private 0 5 0 0 –
2012 Citroën Junior · Qatar 0 13 0 53 7
2013 Qatar 0 13 7 176 2
2014 Hyundai 1 13 3 105 6
2015 Hyundai 0 13 2 90 6
2016 Hyundai 1 13 7 160 2
2017 Hyundai 4 13 8 208 2
2018 Hyundai 3 13 6 201 2
2019 Hyundai 3 13 7 227 2
2020 Hyundai 1 7 3 87 4
2021 Hyundai 2 12 7 176 3
2022 Hyundai 2 13 5 193 3
2023 Hyundai 2 13 8 189 3
2024 Hyundai 2 13 6 242 1
2025 Hyundai 1 14 5 194 5
2026 Hyundai 1 11 2 129 7*

The championship season is highlighted. Career totals: 23 wins · 76 podiums · 2,430 points from 193 world championship starts, all of the wins for Hyundai. Wins, starts, podiums and points all sum to those totals. The 2009 and 2010 seasons carry no championship position, and the 2012 row combines his Citroën Junior and Qatar entries. The 2026 row is marked with an asterisk because the season is in progress: he is seventh on 129 points after eleven of fourteen rounds. Points are not comparable across the table, as the scoring system and the number of rounds both changed over his career. Stage wins stand at 440 in the juwra.com database and 443 in the Wikipedia infobox, both counted through Rally Finland in 2026. Figures verified 3 September 2026.

Thierry Neuville in his own words

In His Own Words
We have finished runners-up many times, but we never gave up hope that our time would come.
Thierry Neuville · on winning the 2024 world title, Rally Japan, November 2024

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Frequently Asked

Thierry Neuville: Frequently Asked Questions

How many World Rally Championships has Thierry Neuville won?

One, in 2024, driving for Hyundai. He was the first Belgian to win the drivers' title and the first Hyundai driver to do it. He had finished runner-up five times beforehand: in 2013 with the Qatar team, and then in each season from 2016 to 2019.

How many rallies has Thierry Neuville won?

Twenty-three world championship rallies from 193 starts, along with 76 podium finishes and 2,430 points. Every one of the wins has come with Hyundai. The first was Rallye Deutschland in 2014 and the most recent Rally de Portugal in 2026.

Who is Thierry Neuville's co-driver?

Martijn Wydaeghe, a fellow Belgian, who had been beside him for four seasons by the time they won the 2024 title. Nicolas Gilsoul sat in the seat for most of his earlier career, and Nicolas Klinger before that.

What language does Thierry Neuville use for pacenotes?

French, although he is a native German speaker. He comes from St. Vith, in the German-speaking community of eastern Belgium.

Has Thierry Neuville won on snow?

Yes. He was known first as an asphalt specialist and went on to win on gravel as well, and in 2018 he won Rally Sweden — the championship's only pure winter rally — becoming one of the few drivers from outside the Nordic countries to do so.

How many times has Thierry Neuville been championship runner-up?

Five: 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The first came with the Qatar World Rally Team on seven podiums and no wins, 114 points behind Sébastien Ogier. Of the four with Hyundai, three were behind Ogier and one behind Ott Tänak.

Did Thierry Neuville help Hyundai win titles?

Yes. His 2019 season, in which he finished second in the drivers' standings, carried Hyundai to their first manufacturers' championship, and the team retained it in 2020. His own 2024 drivers' title was the manufacturer's first.

Is Thierry Neuville still competing?

Yes, for Hyundai. As of 3 September 2026 he is seventh in the championship on 129 points after eleven of the fourteen rounds, having won Rally de Portugal in May.

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References

Sources & Further Reading

Every statistic on this page is drawn from the following records.

  1. Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe seal FIA WRC titles in a thrilling finale · Hyundai (official)
  2. Thierry Neuville — driver profile · Hyundai Motorsport (official)
  3. Thierry Neuville — WRC career statistics · juwra.com rally database
  4. Thierry's WRC starts, event by event · juwra.com rally database
  5. 2024 World Rally Championship · Wikipedia
  6. 2026 World Rally Championship — drivers' standings · Wikipedia
  7. 2026 Rally del Paraguay · Wikipedia
  8. Thierry Neuville · Wikipedia
  9. Thierry Neuville (Q975283) · Wikidata entity record

How this page is made

Rider profiles are compiled from official series records and cross-checked against independent statistical databases before publication.

Commercial disclosure. This page links to merchandise sold by Kozmozracing. Products are fan-made tributes inspired by motorsport history and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed from the rider, their estate, or any team.

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