Thierry Neuville believes his Acropolis Rally victory is a big second and a “large launch of stress” in his pursuit of a maiden World Rally Championship title.
Neuville clinched his second win of the season after coming by some of the demanding occasions in current WRC historical past the place eight of the 9 Rally1 automobiles hit hassle.
The Hyundai driver recovered from an engine concern on Friday to clinch victory and lead a 1-2-3 for Hyundai following a dramatic remaining stage, the place his principal title rival and Toyota driver Sebastian Ogier rolled.
Ogier was capable of attain the stage end after finishing a fast restore on his GR Yaris to say 13 Saturday factors. However the eight-time world champion has dropped to 3rd within the championship standings behind Ott Tanak, who now trails Neuville by 34 factors with three rounds remaining.
Hyundai locked out the rostrum as Ogier’s accident promoted Dani Sordo to second and Tanak to 3rd.
Reflecting on his first win for the reason that opening spherical in Monte Carlo in January, Neuville advised Motorsport.com: “I felt an enormous launch of stress. It was a demanding race, there’s no secrets and techniques you could have seen it has been difficult for everyone.
“Clearly sooner or later since yesterday morning we have been ready the place we couldn’t afford a mistake, we couldn’t afford a puncture however we simply needed to maintain it going and it wasn’t straightforward, however now we have made it work.
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Crew Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Photograph by: McKlein / Motorsport Photos
“We saved very calm and I felt like I had the instruments to do it and I felt snug within the automotive, there was no mistake, nothing. I used to be fairly certain we may do it.
“It is a large second, in fact, if you happen to can improve the championship lead by seven or eight factors, it’s implausible, so there’s nothing so as to add to that.
“It’s a nice weekend for the group and I am so pleased as effectively to see Dani and Ott on the rostrum with me and, it is a good step for each championships.”
The Energy Stage outlined the brutal nature of this yr’s Acropolis Rally as Takamoto Katsuta, Tanak and Ogier – earlier than his crash – all suffered punctures.
“It’s been a really laborious [rally] and truthfully talking immediately’s Energy Stage should not be the final stage of the rally. It is destroying the automobiles. It’s not a stage to be trustworthy,” added Neuville.
“Now we have mentioned it already previously. It is getting repaired yearly and it is getting worse and worse and it has been a no-go this time.”
