Ott Tanak and his co-driver Martin Jarveoja of Estonia drive their Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid on SS15 Ena during the Rally Japan

Japan (AFP) - Belgium’s Thierry Neuville won his first world title at the age of 36 on Sunday after championship rival Ott Tanak crashed out at the season-ending Rally Japan.

Tanak went off the road and into the trees near the end of the opening stage on the final day, meaning he could not catch championship leader Neuville in the overall standings.

Neuville went into the rally with a 25-point lead over his Estonian Hyundai team-mate Tanak, the 2019 world champion.

Tanak was leading the rally when he slid off the narrow forest road early in the morning in Japan’s central Aichi Prefecture.

He sat stunned alongside co-driver Martin Jarveoja before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car, which was unable to move.

Neuville’s co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe saw the news on his phone and hugged Neuville, who has finished as world championship runner-up five times previously.

Neuville began the day in seventh place but on course to win the world title after recovering from a disastrous start at the season-ending rally.

Tanak, who began the day leading the rally 38 seconds ahead of second-place Elfyn Evans of Britain, needed everything to go his way to snatch the silverware.

The result also jeapordised Hyundai’s chances of winning the manufacturers’ championship.

Hyundai went into Rally Japan with a 15-point lead over Toyota.