Hyundai motorsport boss Michel Nandan admits inconsistency was to blame for failing to land either the drivers’ or manufacturers’ WRC titles this season.

The Korean squad finished second in the manufacturers’ standings behind M-Sport World Rally Team, and Thierry Neuville was runner-up in the drivers’ points, despite winning more rounds than anyone else.

Nandan said the campaign brought good performances with the new i20, Neuville’s four season victories the highest Hyundai tally yet. But he added that missed opportunities meant the squad did not achieve what it targeted.

“Mostly, we suffered from inconsistency from one rally to the next. We were competitive but there were some mistakes in several areas, which all combined to result in both championships being missed,” he said.

“Our crews will also be the first to admit that there were mistakes or confidence lacking at times this season. It all adds up, but we are not placing blame. We need to perfect all areas of our operation, and that’s where we’re focusing for 2018.”

Disappointing results from Finland, Germany and Spain in the second half of the season ruined Hyundai’s title bids, but Nandan pointed to better performances from the final two rounds as good signs for 2018.

“The battles we saw in Wales Rally GB and Australia were encouraging, with several of our crews fighting at the front. This is what we want to see in 2018, pushing our rivals to the limit right to the bitter end.

“We need to iron out the car issues we’ve experienced – unreliability and inconsistency – while continuing to do the very many things we’ve done well this year – excellent teamwork, dedication and determination,” he added.

Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen are inked to drive all 13 rounds next year. Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon will share the third i20, the Spaniard getting the nod for the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo and the Kiwi at the wheel in Rally Sweden.

Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul clinched their fourth 2017 FIA World Rally Championship victory today, the Hyundai crew winning Rally Australia by 22.5 seconds.

Last minute drama struck for Jari-Matti Latvala when he went off in the final stage, elevating Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja into second with Hayden Paddon and Sebastian Marshall moving into a surprise podium position, again for Hyundai.

“This win is a special one, it goes to the whole team, they have worked so hard,” said a delighted Neuville. “It wasn’t always easy but we kept the motivation high. We round off the year with a win and second in the Championship. Thanks to everyone in the team both here and at the factory, great job guys.”

In the FIA World Rally Championship, Neuville’s win was enough to secure him and Gilsoul second in the Championship standings behind Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia.

Tänak and Järveoja finished their best season to date third in the series. The Manufacturers’ Championship was already wrapped up by M-Sport in Wales last time out, but Hyundai is confirmed as second with WRC returnees Toyota third and Citroën fourth.

In a change to the afternoon itinerary, the second passage of Pilbara Reverse was cancelled. Monsoon-like rain during the morning made the road conditions too treacherous so the crews headed straight from service to the all-important Power Stage.

Neuville’s lead was sufficient to control the field and the Belgian was only eighth fastest through Wedding Bells, irrelevant in the face of his fourth win on three continents. Latvala was on course to finish the season on a high in second position, but the Finn went off on a long left-hander and into the trees where his rally abruptly finished.  

Tänak therefore inherited second, took second in the Power Stage and claimed his eighth podium of the season in his last outing in the Fiesta WRC. Hayden Paddon was an unexpected third and the Kiwi is glad to put what has been a difficult season behind him.

Ogier eventually finished fourth and picked up maximum points on the Power Stage too. What the Frenchman plans for the 2018 season remains unknown: “For now I can only say that was my last stage for 2017,” he said. “Now we look forward to the FIA Prize-Giving and collecting the trophy.”

Elfyn Evans was unable to carry his Rally GB-winning pace onto the Australian gravel but the Welshman finished fifth ahead of Esapekka Lappi, who ended up the sole Toyota finisher.

It was a steep learning curve for the Finn, power steering issues on the first day hampering his charge and then opening the road on Saturday and Sunday. After retiring yesterday, Kris Meeke returned and finished seventh under Rally 2 regulations. Kalle Rovanpera, the sole FIA WRC 2 Championship contender, steered his Fiesta R5 through most of the rally, only missing last night’s two super special stages. He finished 12th overall.

The 2017 FIA World Rally Championship has delivered on all levels. The dynamic new cars have been spectacular and sparked record attendances at events season-long, and the return of Toyota further emphasised the dawn of a new era in world rallying.

Competitively, the season has been the closest and most unpredictable in years, again underlining the success of the regulation changes.

Seven different crews have stood on the top step of the podium over the 13 events, no fewer than three of them being rookie WRC winners, and each of the four manufacturers have sealed at least two victories.

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia may have clinched their fifth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship titles, but it was no easy feat for the Frenchmen who only won two events, a stark contrast to their domination of previous years.

M-Sport, having taken five wins and had at least one car on the podium on every event, won its first manufacturers’ title too, notwithstanding victories with Ford in 2006 and 2007. Beating three of the world’s largest car companies was a remarkable achievement by the private British-based squad. 

The season may have drawn to a close Down Under, but the focus is already on the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship which kicks off with the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo on 25 January.

Rally Australia – Final Unofficial Results (subject to scrutineering)

The provisional list of 2017 FIA World Rally Championship winners are:

FIA World Rally Champions                
Sébastien Ogier (FRA)
Julien Ingrassia (FRA)

FIA World Rally Champion for Manufacturers        
M-Sport (GBR)

FIA WRC 2 Champions                    
Pontus Tidemand (SWE)
Jonas Andersson (SWE)

FIA WRC 2 Champion for Teams                
Škoda Motorsport (CZE)

FIA WRC 3 Champions                    
Nil Solans (ESP)
Miguel Ibañez (ESP)

FIA WRC 3 Champion for Teams                
ADAC Sachsen E.V.

FIA Junior WRC Champions                
Nil Solans (ESP)
Miguel Ibañez (ESP)

FIA WRC Trophy winners                
Jourdan Serderidis (GRC)
Frederic Miclotte (BEL)

FIA RGT Cup winners                    
Romain Dumas (FRA)
Denis Giraudet (FRA)

Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA

Ott Tänak rounded off his most successful WRC season to date by scooping a second top driver award at the WRC gala awards in Sydney on Monday night.

The Estonian was voted WRC Driver of the Year for a second consecutive season by fans on the FIA World Rally Championship’s official wrc.com website.

Tänak claimed a popular maiden victory in Italy and landed a second success in Germany en route to a third place championship finish in M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta World Rally Car.

His co-driver and fellow countryman, Martin Järveoja, was named WRC Co-driver of the Year following an impressive debut WRC season with Tänak.

The private M-Sport World Rally Team, which toppled three of the world’s biggest car companies to win the drivers’ crown with Sébastien Ogier and a first manufacturers’ title for a decade, was named Team of the Year.

Almost 250 guests, including drivers and co-drivers, team bosses and championship officials, celebrated the most exciting and unpredictable season in a decade in the New South Wales capital.

They were joined by city dignitaries, including New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian, for the star-studded evening at the Museum of Contemporary Art, overlooking the Opera House and in the shadow of the famous Harbour Bridge.

M-Sport and Tänak shared another success when his Fiesta’s colour scheme wowed fans to win the WRC 7 Livery of the Year Award.

Thierry Neuville, who clinched the runner-up position in the championship at the final round Kennards Hire Rally Australia 24 hours earlier, was another multi-award winner.

The Belgian lifted two trophies, including the Certina Timing Feat Award for hurtling his Hyundai i20 down the famous El Condor mountain to claim a dramatic YPF Rally Argentina victory by 0.7sec – the third closest in WRC history.

Kris Meeke’s remarkable Mexico victory, when he crashed into a car park just 750 metres from the finish of the final live TV Power Stage before regaining the road to win, scored the Michelin Magic Moment award.

Esapekka Lappi’s high-flying leap over the famous Fafe jump in Portugal on his World Rally Car debut earned him the OneBet Jump of the Year.

Spectacular drone footage of Elfyn Evans speeding through a dramatic urban bridgescape in Argentina earned the Welshman the DJI Aerial Award.

The event was organised by WRC Promoter and Kennards Hire Rally Australia. Award-winning actor, comedian and TV celebrity Shane Jacobson, a former Top Gear Australia presenter, hosted the evening.

The full list of award winners was:

WRC Driver of the Year – Ott Tänak
WRC Co-driver of the Year – Martin Järveoja
Team of the Year – M-Sport World Rally Team
DJI Aerial Award – Elfyn Evans
WRC 7 Livery of the Year – M-Sport World Rally Team (Ott Tänak)
Michelin Magic Moment – Kris Meeke
OneBet Jump of the Year – Esapekka Lappi
Certina Timing Feat – Thierry Neuville
Most Stage Wins – Thierry Neuville
Lexar Photograph of the Year – François Baudin
News Item of the Year – Eric Bellegarde
Wrc.com Social Media Star of the Year – Hayden Paddon

The 2018 season begins with a high-profile launch at the Autosport International show in Birmingham on 11 - 14 January.

The opening fixture of the 13-round series is Rallye Monte-Carlo on 25 - 28 January, which starts in Monaco’s fashionable Casino Square.

Torrential rain threatened to provide a dramatic finale at Rally Australia on Sunday morning.

Monsoon-like conditions made driving treacherous and the time gaps between the top three crews were slashed as they splashed through the muddy forest special stages.

Jari-Matti Latvala halved Thierry Neuville’s overnight 20.1sec, while third-placed Ott Tänak emerged as a surprise late contender for a win as he closed on both drivers ahead.

The rain began in the opening Pilbara Reverse test and Elfyn Evans capitalised in conditions suited to his tyres to set fastest time.

It worsened in Bucca and Tänak fared best of the leading trio in his Ford Fiesta. The Estonian was only fifth fastest, but importantly 12.3sec quicker than Latvala’s Toyota Yaris, with Neuville a further 9.1sec adrift.

The rain stopped going into the short Wedding Bells and Neuville regained some of his lost advantage. Fastest time, almost 5sec quicker than his rivals, sent the Belgian towards the mid-leg service in Coffs Harbour with a 14.7sec lead.

“That was a hell of a ride! Really, really tricky conditions. I kept the car on the road but it was close sometimes. I knew I could make a difference but I had to be clever. You lose grip, you lose control and the car doesn’t respond to your input,” said Neuville

Latvala was fourth fastest and with two tests remaining until the finish, the Finn was prepared for more drama if the bad weather returns. “The pressure is all on Thierry, Tänak and ourselves now,” he said.

Tänak is a further 11.3sec behind. The Estonian said: “Conditions are so changeable that you can’t make any plans.”

It was a disastrous morning for Citroën. Fourth-placed Craig Breen rolled his C3 into retirement early in Bucca 16.

Team-mate Stéphane Lefebvre exited seventh after hitting a tree in Pilbara Reverse and shattering his C3’s rear left suspension (below). The frustrated Frenchman punched his car at the finish when he saw the extent of the damage.

Breen’s demise promoted Hayden Paddon to fourth, with Sébastien Ogier fifth in a Fiesta. Ogier had a recurrence of his rally-long gearshift problem and in the confusion of trying to make repairs, he checked in early at the start of Bucca. It cost a 60sec penalty but no positions.