Whodunit Wednesday: Thierry Neuville

There are plenty of young kids who dream of driving their cars over every sort of terrain, sliding through curves, jumping over hills and speeding on to win the race. But there are a few who actually do this - ij the dirt and dust, in the snow, in the mud. They are called rally drivers. I remember as a kid being amazed at the pictures and video’s of these cars flying through the air. 

Rally car driving is quite popular in Belgium, just as is riding bikes through mud and dirt and anything else that can get in the way. Belgians like seeing sport people get muddy, I guess. But there has never been a rally world champion from Belgium, until now. Thierry Neuville just won the world championship this year. So at the moment, Belgium and the Netherlands are top of the world as far as motorsport goes, since Dutchman Max Verstappen has been crowned Formula 1 world champ this year - his 4th time. 

Thierry Neuville comes from the German-speaking area of Belgium, in St. Vith. Belgium has 3 official languages and areas: Flemish (which is basically the same as Dutch), Walloon (which is basically French) and German. The German-speaking area is a small little sliver over in the East of the country, bordering on Germany, of course. It is just East and south of where we hold our Bible camp weeks every year. 

Neuville has been racing for quite some time, even though he is still fairly young (only 36 years old). He looks like a mild-mannered Clark Kent, with glasses and a little smile playing across his face. But he and his navigator know how to tear up the course in a rally car. These cars look somewhat like normal cars, except for all the stickers and the built out bumpers. Subaru’s, Peugeot’s, Citroën’s, Toyota’s and many more are all competitors in these type of race. Neuville has been racing for Hyundai. 

It is intriguing that we have so many sorts of racing so very close to where we live and work. One of these days we may get a chance to stand along the side of the road as the rally cars go roaring past, tossing up mud and dust as they race to victory. For this year, in any case, that victor is Belgian Thierry Neuville.