WRC: NEUVILLE WINS ON HOME TURF

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville has taken his first FIA World Rally Championship win of the season dominating on his local roads in the Renties Ypres Rally Belgium.

The Belgian driver was favourite to take victory his home rally from the outset, but it wasn’t until SS4 that Neuville stamped his authority on the event by taking the stage win and the overall lead.

From there, Neuville used his local knowledge on the narrow Flanders farm lanes to build up a 24s margin before the final Power Stage on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps race circuit.

Teammate Craig Breen was the only real threat to Neuville taking several stage wins of his own on the first two days of the event, before settling in on the final day to ensure a one-two result for Hyundai in just second asphalt rally for the brand.

It was a commanding performance for the Korean manufacturer in Belgium winning 15 of the 20 stages.

The only blemish for Hyundai was a puncture for Ott Tanak on SS9 which saw the Estonian lose 3 minutes and drop out of contention.

Behind Neuville and Breen, Toyota was caught up in an inter-team battle for third place.

Kalle Rovanpera the best of the Toyota’s in third – Image: Motorsport Images

Kalle Rovanpera charged through on the final day to claim the final spot on the podium as the lead Toyota driver.

Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier rounded out fourth and fifth for the Japanese manufacturer. While Tanak recovered to claim sixth.

M-Sport endured a horrid event with both of their entries out of the rally before the end of the opening day. Adrien Fourmaux retired after clipping a bank and spectacularly rolling his Ford Fiesta. While Gus Greensmith ended up stranded in a ditch after his own mistake.

Takamoto Katsuta in a fourth Toyota also crashed heavily. The Japanese driver hit a bump in a fast corner which threw his Yaris into a ditch after pirouetting through the air and hitting an electricity pole before a violent landing. All the crews walked away unharmed.

Neuville’s win has put him back into championship contention, now equal second with Toyota’s Evans. Both drivers are 38 points behind Ogier with four rounds remaining.

WRC returns to gravel next month with the return of the Acropolis Rally Greece for the first time since 2013.

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