The Hyundai driver has moved to clarify his future after comments made in an interview with AutoHebdo this week suggested this season could be his last. The championship leader is in the final year of his contract with Hyundai and is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.
Neuville has previously told Autosport that he would like to secure a new two-year deal and this view remains. The 35-year-old also clarified that the only situation where he could envisage himself retiring from the championship next year would be if Hyundai decided to pull out.
“I never said I want to retire but I think if a manufacturer pulls out, I will probably retire, that is what I said,” Neuville told Autosport.
“This has been turned that way by the media. For sure if Hyundai decided to pull out, I would probably be retired, but not only me.
When asked about the comments made last year about remaining in the championship for a further two years, he replied: “Yeah for sure [I would like to].
“I never said that I want to retire; I don’t know where that came from. I said that if Hyundai pulls out, I could be retired by next year for example and that is the truth.
“If Hyundai carries on, and they still want me, then I would like to carry on of course.”
The comments have arrived in the wake of the FIA releasing its vision for the future of the WRC. While Neuville is in favour of proposals to improve the event formats and the championship’s promotion, he strongly opposes plans to make changes to the Rally1 technical regulations for next year.
Source: Autosport