WRC, Rally Spain, PS2: Neuville-Evans, what a duel

The fight for the top position at the Rally of Spain 2021, the penultimate event of the WRC 2021, ignites and immediately becomes a duel. Two drivers: Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville, two different cars: the Toyota Yaris WRC and the Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC. The others are already all far away.

The Belgian from Hyundai Motorsport set the absolute best time in Special Stage 2, La Granadella 1 of 21.80 kilometers and Evans did the same. Neuville, however, is ideally ahead in the test for having done better than his rival in terms of hundredths in the overall stage time.

A result, that of PS2, which does not change at all the first two positions of the general classification, nor the gap between Evans and Neuville – 5 “1, the same as PS1 – but certifies at the moment that Neuville is the only one able to counter an Elfyn Evans started like a bolt of lightning to try to recover other points on Ogier and keep the Drivers’ World Championship open until the last appointment, scheduled for 18 to 21 November in Monza.

Actually, Neuville said he was still not happy with his set-up. Too much understeer and, in some cases, he lost the rear having to resort to the help of the handbrake to avoid going off the road. Despite this, the time has come and allows him to still be close to Evans.

For his part, the Welshman continues undaunted with a frenzied pace, so as to immediately detach Ogier in the general classification of the Rally of Spain. The 7-time world champion is third, 11 “2 behind his teammate.

Instead, the two positions behind the top three change, with Dani Sordo (Hyundai) and Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota Racing) climbing to fourth and fifth place respectively in the overall. This was due to Ott Tanak’s spin, which took place at the first corner of Special Stage 2.

At the end of the test, the Estonian defined what happened as a “considerable spin”, which made him immediately lose 13 “in the first sector. The 2019 world champion then did not find the right pace, losing over 20” from Neuville and Evans. Now, having slipped to sixth position, Tanak is 30 “3 behind Evans.

Adrien Fourmaux signs a good time, the sixth, and consolidates the seventh place in the general. With Tanak’s mistake, the French of the M-Sport team sees the possibility of fighting for sixth position. Also important is the gap from teammate Gus Greensmith, behind him at 11 “6. Oliver Solberg also gains a position, taking advantage of a high time of teammate Nil Solans.

Rally of Spain 2021 – General classification after PS2