Elfyn Evans won the season-ending Rally Japan as Thierry Neuville wrapped up his first World Rally Championship (WRC) title.
Belgian Neuville’s overall victory was secured when Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak crashed out on the final morning while leading the rally.
The Estonian’s misfortune also handed Evans, 35, the Rally Japan victory and moved the Welsh driver above Tanak in the overall standings, taking second place for the fourth time in five years.
Evans’ win also clinched the manufacturers’ title for Toyota Gazoo Racing, consolation for missing out on the drivers’ prize for the first time in six years.
Neuville, 36, started the final rally of the 13-race series with a 25-point lead over Tanak, so he needed to score just six points from the weekend to claim the drivers’ title.
His hopes suffered a setback on Friday afternoon when a turbo problem saw him and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe drop to 15th.
They recovered to climb the leaderboard before Tanak’s stage 17 error handed his Hyundai team-mate the title for the first time after 15 years of trying.
Five times a runner-up, at 5,533 days Neuville’s wait for the world crown is the longest in WRC history.
