Thierry Neuville needs two more points on Sunday to secure the World Rally Car Championship.
Matti Lehtisaari,
STT Sports
15:11•Updated 15:14
Hyundai, which leads the World Rally Championship Thierry Neuville showed a nice rally after his technical failure on Friday. Neuville took seventh place and got four conditional WC points.
Thus, the Belgian needs two more points from Sunday to secure the first world championship of his career.
– I have had so many setbacks in my career that I already know how to stay calm. In such a situation, you just have to fight, the five-time silver medalist said.
Hyundai is in the lead Ott Tänak before Toyota Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier. Jari-Matti Latvala led by Toyota caught up with Hyundai by only four points in the manufacturer’s series, so there were still a hefty 11 points left for Sunday.
– We have to go all-in on Sunday. All three drivers must drive at full speed. We would have hoped that the gap would have narrowed more, but we were unable to put pressure on Tänak, Latvala said.
– Inevitably, even maximum performance is not enough. We also need a little luck.
A dangerous situation interrupted the 12th special exam
The 12th special test of the World Rally Championship in Japan had to be stopped when a civilian car appeared on the rally route, endangering safety. A black van pulled up waiting to leave by Elfyn Evans in front of.
In Japan, two years ago, an even more ferocious accident happened, when a civilian car had entered the route from a side road and ran into rally cars that were going full speed.
– It is always shocking if there is a civilian car on the rally route. We are talking about a very big security risk. Fortunately, the car was leaving this time, but it is absolutely outrageous that such things still happen today, Urheilu’s expert Henri Haapamäki amazed.
Only six car municipalities had time to drive through the special test before it was interrupted.