World Cup leader Neuville defended his 24-point lead over Sardinia

The Belgian Hyundai Motorsport driver Thierry Neuville defending between Friday and Sunday at Italy-Sardinia Rally 24 points of the advantage he enjoys over the British Elfyn Evans (Toyota Yaris) from the leadership of the World Championship of this automotive specialty.

Neuville, a three-time winner of this event, the last in 2024, will be trying to achieve a fourth victory that cements him in the lead of a championship he has never won. His main obstacle is that, due to his status as leader, on Friday he will be in charge of opening the track and ‘cleaning’ the sections for the rear starters.

The main pursuer of Neuville, Evans The Japanese will join him in the Toyota team Takamoto Katsuta and the french Sebastien Ogierwinner of the last two races of the competition (Croatia and Portugal) – the only ones he contested in 2024 – and his fifth victory in Italy.

Neuville’s companions on the Italian island were the Estonians Ott Tänak and Spanish Dani Sordotwo drivers who also won Sardinia twice each.

Sordo, winner in 2019 and 2020, will face his second World Cup event of the season, after Portugal. “Sardinia has a surface very similar to that of Portugal, although it is more slippery in some places. Running the Rally of Portugal was very good for me to prepare for this test, which this year will be more compact ,” said the Cantabrian,

“We have to be very competitive from the start to get a good starting position heading into Saturday’s stage, an important factor in a rally like this. We need the car to be very precise, because some parts of the stages are very narrow. The goal is to finish on the podium, although it’s great to be able to take another step and fight for victory,” he added.

Rally Italy-Sardinia is the sixth of thirteen races on the calendar and is held on dirt roads. The total route time is 266.12 kilometers divided into 16 sections. The headquarters of the trial is located in the town of Alghero.