Push or try to minimize risks? Thierry Neuville chose the first option. The Belgian Hyundai Motorsport driver didn't trust having Ogier at 8 seconds and gave everything once again, probably making the right choice.
Neuville also won the SS16 of the Rallye Monte-Carlo, the 19.01 kilometer Digne-les-Bains / Chaudon-Norante, the penultimate round of the 2024 WRC prologue, still pulling ahead of Sébastien Ogier, the only remaining rival for the victory of the 92nd edition of the event held on French roads, but is attributable to the Principality.
For Neuville it is the second consecutive scratch in the two tests faced today, but above all it is a way to keep away… Elfyn Evans. The Welshman is now very far from the Belgian in the general classification, but let's remember that the new scoring system comes into its own from this race, with Sunday assigning further points after those given last night.
This is why Neuville's second scratch, despite arriving by just 2 tenths, is of capital importance: Evans is second overall in today's standings, so the Hyundai Motorsport driver has laid the foundations to get to the end of the race by taking home 25 points, in addition to the overall event win. Of course, the decisive Power Stage is still missing.
In all of this, it seems that Sébastien Ogier has decided to no longer try everything. This morning he achieved two good times, but not in line with what he was able to do in the previous days. Fourth time of the special stage at 5″5 from Neuville. This means that his delay has risen to over 13″ from his rival.
Having said of Evans' excellent time, which seems to have recovered after yesterday's difficult day, Ott Tanak set the third time in the special, placing himself between the official Toyota GR Yaris Rally1s of Evans and Ogier. Fifth time for Takamoto Katsuta, even if Adrien Fourmaux seems headed towards fifth place in today's and overall rankings. For the Frenchman it would be an excellent start to the year.
Anything goes in WRC2, with Pepe Lopez able to overtake Nikolay Gryazin (too much understeer due to overheated front tyres), but finding himself with Yohan Rossel hot on his heels. The French Citroen Racing driver started the day with the clear intent of winning. On SS15 he closed almost the entire gap to the leaders and has now launched the first attack, moving just 9 tenths behind the Iberian in the general classification.
This means that the Power Stage will be decisive for the awarding of the category victory, with the French driver who will start with a clear advantage also for having saved his tires more than Lopez during the race weekend. Gryazin, after having fought for many tests with the Skoda driver, could instead find himself a sensational spectator in a race that he could have won.
#WRC #Rallye #MonteCarlo #SS16 #Neuville #step #success
