Thierry Neuville, a prominent contender for the World Rally Championship (WRC), faced an unexpected challenge during the Friday stages of Rally Japan. His Hyundai i20 N, which had been performing well and had even secured the fastest time in the opening stage, suddenly lost power while competing in stage four. This unforeseen setback saw Neuville cede an extraordinary 37.7 seconds to his nearest rival and team-mate Ott Tanak, a critical time loss that added pressure to an already tense championship scenario.
Neuville’s championship aspirations were on the line; the Belgian only needed a modest six points from the weekend’s stages to secure his first WRC title. Starting strong, he quickly climbed to second place following the opening stage, only to plummet to third as issues with his vehicle arose. Compounding the challenge, the loss of power made him a significant 40.2 seconds behind Elfyn Evans, the leader from Toyota. While third place would have sufficed for Neuville’s title quest, the absence of a midday service meant that his team could not perform a thorough diagnosis to identify and potentially rectify the issue.
Despite the frustrating circumstances, Neuville and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe managed a preliminary assessment during a road section. They expressed cautious optimism, suggesting the problem might not be mechanical or turbo-related. This diagnosis, while a relief, did not instill confidence that the issue could be easily resolved. In a challenging season marked by only one other significant mechanical problem in Kenya — a fuel pressure issue — Neuville’s hopes were now precariously balanced on the capabilities of his team and the parts available in their car.
Neuville openly acknowledged the disappointment of losing power suddenly and expressed the uncertainty of the situation. Though he remained determined, he admitted that if they had to continue in “road mode,” it would result in significant time loss. With engineers reportedly scrambling to understand what went wrong, Neuville’s immediate focus shifted from striving for a title to merely trying to finish strong.
Before the power woes, Neuville expressed satisfaction with the setup of his i20 N, indicating that they had anticipated a competitive weekend. Their confidence was buoyed by the car’s performance in the opening stage, a factor that now seemed overshadowed by the mechanical struggles. “We were surprised by the gaps earlier,” Neuville remarked, hinting at a potentially strong weekend ahead, had external factors not intervened.
As the teams moved on to tackle a repeat loop of morning stages and concluded with the Okazaki Super Special stage, Neuville’s journey epitomized the unpredictable nature of rally racing. In such a fiercely competitive environment, every second can count, and the path to victory is rarely linear. While the prospect of securing the championship hangs in the balance, it remains to be seen if Neuville can adapt and overcome the challenges posed by Rally Japan, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
Leave a Reply