The Latest Breaking News from Thierry Neuville

Neuville’s co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe put down a proposition on the event’s recce after noticing that the final stage of the Saturday morning and afternoon loop featured a 9.11km stage.

The title rivals were locked in a titanic scrap across the day’s eight stages, which saw the lead change hands and the margin between the pair never exceeding five seconds, having started Saturday tied on overall times.

The World Rally Championship is set for a return to asphalt stages at the Croatia Rally after a gruelling weekend on gravel in Kenya last time out.

The popular Irishman lost his life on 13 April last year after succumbing to injuries sustained in a testing crash, driving for Hyundai ahead of the Croatia round last year.

Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen managed to tame Kenya’s wild terrain to complete a largely untroubled run to a dominant victory - their first of a partial campaign this year. The pair were the only Rally1 crew to avoid any major delays in what is renowned as the WRC’s toughest…

Two-time world champions Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen clinched a first victory of the season in the second event of a partial campaign by a dominant 1m37.8s from Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta. M-Sport’s Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux claimed a second career WRC podium in third, 2m25.1s adrift.

The WRC points leader climbed to second position across Saturday morning, benefitting from punctures delaying his Toyota rivals Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta.

Reigning world champion Rovanpera was one of the few to avoid punctures or mechanical issues to complete the day’s six stages with a 2m08.9s lead over Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, with M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux third [+3m13.3s].

Reigning world champion Rovanpera was one of the few to avoid punctures or mechanical issues to complete the day’s six stages with a 2m08.9s lead over Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, with M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux third [+3m13.3s].