Thierry Neuville: How grit and passion drove him from Ksh 35,000 to world champion

Thierry Neuville’s journey from a €256 bank balance to 2024 WRC champion is a tale of resilience, sacrifice and triumph.

Most of us may look at an account balance of €256 (Ksh 35,000) and see limitations—a sobering reflection of financial struggle.

For Thierry Neuville, however, it was a starting point, a moment that fueled his relentless pursuit of greatness in motorsport.

Standing in a bank over a decade ago, staring at those modest digits, the young Belgian rally driver made a life-defining decision: he would stake everything—his dreams, his money, and his future—on becoming a World Rally Champion.

Fast forward to 2024, and Neuville’s gamble has paid off in spectacular fashion. as just a week ago, at the FORUM8 Rally Japan, he claimed his maiden FIA World Rally Championship title, a crowning achievement in a career defined by passion, resilience, and unshakable belief.

“I can remember very well when I went to my bank and I had €256 left in my account,” Neuville recalls as quoted by WRC portal.

“That was everything I had left. I always remember my mother fighting against me at that time, that I [shouldn’t] put all my money into my cars.”

This moment was not just the culmination of a stellar season but also the realization of a dream born in a small town and nurtured against formidable odds.

Born and raised in the quiet Belgian town of Saint Vith, Neuville’s journey into motorsport began not behind the wheel but from the sidelines.

Regular visits to the Rallye du Condroz-Huy and the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with his family ignited a spark that would eventually consume him.

By the age of six, his father, Alain, handed him the keys to a quad bike, allowing young Thierry to tear through the fields near their home, developing his coordination and love for speed.

“We had no money, to be honest,” Neuville said, reflecting on his childhood.

“Both my parents were working and separated as well. I was at my father's place every two weekends and during the week I was with my mother, who was working full-time as well to be able to survive. But they have never let me down in difficult situations as well.”

With the little support his family could muster, Neuville transitioned into grassroots rallying. His first rally car, a yellow Opel Corsa, became his vehicle of choice to showcase his burgeoning talent.

He quickly made a name for himself, winning the 2008 Royal Automobile Club of Belgium Rally contest and earning the opportunity to drive a Citroen C2 R2 Max in the Citroen Rally Trophy Belux the following year.

By 2010, Neuville was competing on the international stage, securing his first Junior WRC victory while also achieving commendable results in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).

His breakout year came in 2011, with standout IRC victories in Corsica and Sanremo. His performances caught the attention of Citroën, which offered him a seat in their Junior Team for the 2012 season.

Neuville repaid Citroën’s faith, finishing seventh in the championship and establishing himself as one of rallying’s brightest prospects.

In 2013, he joined the Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team, delivering four podium finishes and ending the season as runner-up to Sébastien Ogier.

It was a meteoric rise for the young driver, but the best was yet to come.

Hyundai Motorsport, re-entering the championship in 2014 after an unsuccessful stint in the early 2000s, saw in Neuville the leader they needed.

The partnership bore its first fruit that year, with Neuville securing his and Hyundai’s maiden WRC victory at Rallye Deutschland.

Despite this early success, the road to glory was fraught with challenges.

Between 2017 and 2020, Neuville finished as championship runner-up four times, often narrowly missing out on the title.

There were moments of brilliance—victories at iconic events like Rally Monte-Carlo, the Tour de Corse, and the gruelling EKO Acropolis Rally Greece—but heartbreak often overshadowed his achievements.

In 2021, a fresh chapter began with the introduction of a new co-driver, Martijn Wydaeghe.

Despite limited preparation time, the duo secured a podium finish at their first event together, Rallye Monte-Carlo. That season saw them claim victories on home soil in Ypres and in Spain, hinting at greater success to come.

This season, Neuville and Wydaeghe finally struck gold. Behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID, the pair displayed remarkable consistency and versatility. Victories in Monte-Carlo and Greece, coupled with six podium finishes, kept them firmly in control of the championship battle.

Arriving at the final round in Japan, Neuville needed just six points to secure the title. However, in true Neuville fashion, the path to victory was anything but straightforward. A turbocharger failure on the opening day left him languishing in 15th place.

Undeterred, Neuville clawed his way back to seventh by Saturday, keeping his championship hopes alive. On Sunday, fate intervened as his only rival, teammate Ott Tanak, crashed out, leaving Neuville to claim the crown he had long pursued.

“We worked so long for this,” Neuville said, reflecting on his victory.

“I want to thank everybody who was part of it, who fought for us and all the team as well. We were many times very close; we always give it our all, but this year we have been rewarded for it.”

Looking ahead, Neuville remains grounded yet ambitious.

With his first WRC title under his belt, he is already setting his sights on defending the crown and further cementing his legacy in the sport.

But no matter what the future holds, his story—of a young man who risked it all to chase his dream—will remain an enduring reminder of the power of belief.