Paris (AFP)

Four days after his first World Rally Championship (WRC) title, Estonian driver Ott Tänak (Toyota) is back in the news with his arrival at Hyundai in 2020 for two seasons, which should unlock the transfer market.

"The vision that Andrea (Adamo, Hyundai's Director) has displayed is very promising and meets my own ambitions for the future, and it's a great honor for me to have the opportunity to join the team at this exciting stage of our respective careers, "said Tänak, 32, in a statement.

In the 14 rounds of the calendar next season, Hyundai will take on Estonian and co-driver and compatriot Martin Järveoja alongside Belgium's Thierry Neuville, vice-world champion 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The nine-time French world champion Sébastien Loeb and the Spaniard Dani Sordo "will share the third car over the year", as is already the case in 2019, says the Korean team based in Alzenau (Germany).

She "also remains in discussions with the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen and the Irishman Craig Breen (that she also engaged several rounds this season, Ed) about a possible collaboration in WRC in 2020".

- Ogier at Toyota? -

Toyota, therefore, must find a new leader to succeed Tänak, arrived in its ranks in 2018 from M-Sport Ford.

Will it be one of the current drivers, Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala or Britain's Kris Meeke? In view of the ambitions of the Finnish team Tommi Mäkinen (quadruple world champion 1996-1999), which was won by the manufacturers last year, the question arises.

In a round of the end of the current season, Meeke and Latvala do indeed point to the 6th and 7th ranks of the drivers' rankings, with respectively 98 and 94 points. Far from the 263 units of champion Tänak, 227 Neuville, provisionally 2nd, and 217 French Sébastien Ogier (Citroën), for the 3rd time.

Some sources also mention a possible arrival next season the six-time French world champion, dethroned in 2019. Engaged until the end of 2020 with Citroën, it is indeed not fully satisfied with the performance of his car .

Note that the Finnish Kalle Rovanperä, who turned 19 on 1 October, is also tipped at Toyota, which would make him the youngest full-time official rider in WRC history.

- Final explanation in Australia -

Tänak was crowned at the end of the Rally of Catalonia Sunday, with a round still to be played in Australia from 14 to 17 November.

The Estonian has largely dominated the season, winning six rallies out of thirteen so far, against three at Ogier and three at Neuville, as well as 73 specials, against 24 in French and 42 in Belgium.

The slender blonde with youthful features and taciturn character has had a rough ride in the WRC until 2017, when his paternity, his new association with Järveoja and the example of Ogier at his side at M-Sport the have transformed.

That year, he won his first World Cup win in Sardinia and finished second in the drivers standings in 2017 and 2018, before being crowned in 2019.

In the Championship, however, everything is not done yet. The battle for second and third places will continue between Neuville and Ogier in Australia, like the one for the constructors title between Hyundai and Toyota.

The 2020 season will start at the Monte Carlo Rally from 23 to 26 January and will end with the Rally of Japan from 19 to 22 November. In addition to Japan, two more events are returning to the calendar: Kenya (July 16-19) and New Zealand (September 3-6).

© 2019 AFP