The Belgian pilot Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), which started third in the Monte Carlo Rally general classification before the dispute on Saturday’s penultimate day, ended the day at the top of the classification after overtaking the nine-time world champion rallies (WRC) and great favorite for the final victory, Sebastien Ogier (Toyota).
The pilot of gap He reclaimed his reign last year, capturing his ninth victory, taking him past 8 of Sebastien Loeb in magical’Mountain‘ after winning 10 of the weekend’s 18 stages. However, the eternal Belgian adversary for hyundai He seems more determined to challenge for the crown this year. He showed it on a Saturday where he was surpassed Elfyn Evans who started as leader (he was third) and above all to Ogier in a good head-to-head within ‘le Roi’.
Neuville He won sections 9 and 14, while Ogier won sections 10, 12 and 13, with the Belgian close on his heels showing great tenacity which culminated in a final scract which meant he overtook Ogier in overall standings and finished the final day as the leader by 3.3″ ahead of Sébastien and 34.9″ ahead of Evans.
Therefore, due to the debut of the new scoring system in the World Rally Championship, Neuville was awarded the first 18 points of the year, with 15 points for Ogier and 13 for Evans.
With this new scoring system, at the end of this Saturday the top ten totals were 18, 15, 13, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively, despite the fact that there was still one competition day. and need to finish the rally on Sunday to consolidate those points in their final box. This regulation was introduced to prevent drivers from reserving tires on Sunday to arrive with fresh rubber in the final power stage, without taking a risk. That’s why this Sunday the drivers will fight for a maximum of seven points (7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1) including the points of the last Power Stage (5, 4, 3, 2, 1).
Neuville beats Ogier, for now
The Belgian, a five-time WRC runner-up, started the day third, ahead of Evans and Ogier and sixteen seconds off the Welsh driver’s time. However, from the first stage he warned that he was serious, because he led the first nineteen timed kilometers with nine seconds on Evans and more than 18 on Ogier.
However, the Frenchman, a legend of this sport, accelerated and set the best time of the second period, remaining only five seconds behind the lead. After a third stage in which Neuville tightened the fight between Evans, the Frenchman and the Belgian himself, Ogier took control of the situation and became the leader of the race with one stage remaining after starting from fourth and fifth .timed section.
But a superb final 21 kilometers by Neuville, where he was four seconds ahead of Ogier, finally led the day and the first three days of the Monte Carlo rally in Hyundai, finishing with three seconds and three tenths. the French legend and with more than 34 seconds over Evans, went down after two bad sets.
For his part, Madrid driver Pepe López and his co-driver David Vázquez (Skoda Fabia RS) remain ninth in the general classification and second in WRC2, the second category of the competition. If this Friday they finished only one second and three tenths behind the Bulgarian Nikolay Gryazin (Citroen C3), first in WRC2, this Saturday they finished only two tenths behind the Bulgarian. Meanwhile, Catalan Jan Solans, with his co-driver Rodrigo Sanjuán (Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2), was 6th
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
