The engine roaring, fast-passed turns, fascinating jumps, and tricky roads that is what you definitely have missed for the last two months. If so, there is good news because the season break’s time is over, and our imagination is heading to the French Alps for the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship to kick off. However, take a tiny memo on the WRC 2024 teams and drivers. Let’s ponder which crew in the Rally1 will be the strongest in the season. 

The Brief on the FIA WRC 2024 Teams

So, we have three teams participating in the FIA WRC 2024 Rally1 category: M-Sport Ford, Hyundai and Toyota. 

M-Sport

Gregoire Munster and Adrien Fourmaux race for M-Sport Ford in the 2024 season. 

As for dedication work, M-Sport is the out loud, but Malcolm Wilson’s team is often insufficient to race against Hyundai and Toyota.  

Despite the Fords finishing the 2023 third in the manufacturer’s standings, they won two rallies in Sweden and Chile and claimed third on the Europen Rally. Thanks to Estonian rally star driver Ott Tänak. 

However, Tänak switched back to Hyundai, but the purple pumas of Ford still have the aces to surprise you for a reason. 

These cars are still fast; however, perhaps, they need a bit more creative approach, which Munster and Fourmaux have of means. Moreover, M-Sport Ford is not the only team to struggle.

Hyundai

Hyundai Motorsport has the best driver line-up in the WRC 2024. The team signed two main drivers: Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak. And three part-time drivers: Esapekka Lappi, Dani Sordo, and Andreas Mikkelsen.

Hyundai’s driving force is about setting the racers right, even if their strategy is a controversial topic. Thus, Neuville is a Belgian rally star, multiple winners, and vice-champion, while Tänak is the 2019 world champion. 

However, the consistency of these two in one team is unpredictable, and highly possible will play tricks. 

Lappi, Sordo, and Mikkelsen contrast. Each is skilled differently in their own racing area. Lappi is perfect at the gravel rounds. Dani Sordo is the maestro of asphalt stages, while Mikkelsen joined Hyundai and is good at the tarmac.  

Such driver line overture is because Hyundai is hungry for their former glory when they had won two titles in 2019 -2020. That was a great time. 

Toyota

Toyota Gazoo Racing has been the thrust of the FIA World Rally Championship for the last three years, while the youngest ever champion, Kalle Rovanperä, had stamped the victories one by one, resulting in him doubling the tittles.  

However, Toyota’s driver line-up significantly changed despite the drivers remaining the same. Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta race for Toyota for the complete schedule, while Rovanperä and Sébastien Ogier joined on partly order. It means that the doors to the podium are opening for the other crews.   

Although Toyota Gazoo Racing is the clear leader, and we set the team first to compete for the manufacturer’s title in the WRC 2024 season.  

So, what about drivers? Here is our perspective from worst to best chances to win. 

Ranking WRC 2024 Drivers Lineup: Who Has The Most Of Chances?

#11 Gregoire Munster

Belgian rally driver just started his career in M-Sport Ford. His racing skills are what we just expect to see.

#10 Dani Sordo

Spanish top-class WRC rally driver hasn’t high hopes for the championship, but to bring a few podiums is a possible task, despite a part-time racing in the season.

#9 Andreas Mikkelsen

Mikkelsen had been racing for Hyundai for three years, 2017-2019. Two podiums in Italy and Turkey are his best results. 

#8 Esapekka Lappi

Lappi is among the best rally drivers. Although, he had struggled mischance. However, to see Lappi on the podium for 2024 is a possible thing. 

#7 Adrien Fourmaux

Fourmaux is not the best because we haven’t seen his potential on the full throttle, but he has the talent. We hope that will be enough to charge his Ford Puma for the podium in the season.

#6 Takamoto Katsuta

The 2024 season is a decisive maker for the Japanese driver’s future. So, if he doesn’t meet Toyota’s expectations, Sami Pajari will quickly replace Katsuta in the team.  

#5 Sébastien Ogier

Ogier has eight WRC titles in his pocket. Frankly saying, there is nothing to stop him from his ninth. Toyota Yaris is the fastest on the grid, while his closest rival is also racing as a part-time driver. 

#4 Ott Tänak

Tänak is one of the best rally drivers of recent times. His chances for the title are high, but these depend on Hyundai’s team strategy.

#3 Kalle Rovanperä

The relations between Rovanperä and Toyota are the biggest secret. However, Toyota provides chances, and Rovanperä will use them, but only if his motivation is still good enough. 

#2 Thierry Neuville

Hyundai driver Neuville is a multiple-time vice-champion. Neuville can claim the first one. However, his possibilities cross with Elfyn Evans’ advantage. 

#1 Elfyn Evans

Evans is the closest to the title among the WRC drivers in 2024 season. The coherence of his successful performance for the last two years, plus the performance advantage of Toyota’s Yaris, make him a driver number one. 

Takeaways

The FIA World Rally Championship’ 2024 edition promises to be a thrilling challenge, at least an unpredictable one. Despite Toyota’s still being in favor, the racing battle between the drivers is worth watching. 

Ott Tänak’s moving to Hyundai made a reaction chain.

M-Sport made a bet for young and talented drivers, opening Adrien Fourmaux to showcase his skills. However, Tänak, as a teammate for Thierry Neuville, is a pig in a poke. Their team mating in Hyundai two years ago caused Tänak to switch to M-Sport.  

Besides, setting Toyota’s two main stars, Ogier and Rovanperä, for a part-time job updates Evans as the main claimer for the winning, while it is not the best option for the team to keep the leadership against Hyundai.