The Latest Breaking News from Thierry Neuville

The Korean manufacturer has fielded three cars in the WRC’s top tier since 2019 but is considering expanding its line-up to four for the 2024 season. The last time it ran four cars in a WRC event was 2018 Rally Portugal when it entered Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo, Hayden Paddon…

Neuville was excluded from the event last weekend, where he finished eighth, after stewards determined a “person connected with the crew travelled on or over the route of two Special Stages, after reconnaissance, without authorisation” following the official pre-event recce.

The weaknesses of the team's i20 N Rally1 were made clear in Kenya last weekend after Esapekka Lappi suffered three prop shaft failures followed by another problem that left the Finn with only two-wheel drive.

Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe have lost eighth place and the five bonus points for winning the rally-ending powerstage after FIA stewards determined that a “person connected with the crew travelled on or over the route of two Special Stages, after reconnaissance, without authorisation.”

The eight-time world champion and co-driver Vincent Landais came under pressure from championship leader Rovanpera across Sunday’s final six stages to clinch his third win of a partial 2023 WRC campaign by 6.7s. The margin was the closest in the event’s 70-year history.

The Toyota duo continued an enthralling head-to-head as championship leader Rovanpera applied pressure on long-time leader Ogier to reduce the gap to 13.6s with three stages remaining. 

The Toyota driver managed to cut into team-mate Sebastien Ogier’s lead on Saturday afternoon after starring in extreme wet conditions on the day’s final stage.

Eight-time world champion Ogier started Saturday with a 22.8s lead and the Toyota driver went on to stamp his authority on the event in the afternoon.

The eight-time world champion came through challenging damp and muddy conditions to preserve his lead, although Ogier's overnight advantage over championship leader Rovanpera was cut by 0.7s to 22.1s.

The Hyundai driver was sitting fourth, 35.3s adrift of rally leader Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier, when he hit a compression that broke the front-left suspension on his i20N during stage six.

The Hyundai driver was sitting fourth, 35.3s adrift of rally leader Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier, when he hit a compression that broke the front left suspension on his i20N during stage six.