Thierry Neuville enters this week’s Rally Chile Bio Bío (26 – 29 September) with a real shot at clinching his first-ever FIA World Rally Championship title. With only three rounds remaining in the season, a flawless performance in Chile, coupled with some missteps from his closest rivals, could see Neuville crowned champion with two rounds to spare.
The third WRC event to be hosted in Chile, the rally will unfold across the sweeping gravel roads of the Bio Bío region, centered around the city of Concepción. As the season nears its end, each point becomes vital, especially with Neuville sitting atop the standings after his commanding win at the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.
Neuville’s 34-point lead over teammate Ott Tänak, the only previous winner in Chile, puts him in a strong position, but Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans are still contenders. For Neuville to wrap up the championship in Chile, he’ll need to deliver a near-perfect result and hope for underwhelming performances from his competitors.
“We’re pushing hard this weekend,” Neuville said. “The focus is to secure as many points as possible. Managing the gap will be key in these final three rounds, and Chile is crucial for building momentum before the tarmac events in Central Europe and Japan, where we are strong.”
Neuville, who finished second in Chile last year, is eager to take on the challenging stages again. “The roads vary quite a bit here, but we enjoyed driving them last year and managed to finish on the podium, which made it a great weekend.”
Future Stars Shine in Chile
While the battle for the championship takes center stage, the next generation of rallying talent is also making headlines. Sami Pajari (22) and Mārtiņš Sesks (25) are set to showcase their skills on the global stage. Pajari steps in for Takamoto Katsuta at Toyota, driving the GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID, while Sesks returns behind the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1, following impressive stage-winning drives in Poland and Latvia.
Their participation highlights the sport’s new wave of talent, reminiscent of Kalle Rovanperä—WRC’s youngest-ever champion—who is also competing in Chile as part of his part-time campaign with Toyota.
Additionally, Esapekka Lappi returns to the Hyundai line-up after alternating rounds with Dani Sordo and Andreas Mikkelsen, while Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster will handle the Puma Rally1 HYBRIDs for M-Sport.
The rally kicks off Thursday, 26 September, with 16 stages spanning 306.76km and will conclude on Sunday afternoon, where the championship picture may come into sharper focus.
Key Highlights:
- Neuville leads the WRC standings by 34 points.
- Rally Chile Bio Bío features 16 stages across 306.76km.
- Future stars Sami Pajari and Mārtiņš Sesks take on Rally1 HYBRID entries.
- Final quarter of the season with the title still up for grabs.
Source: FIA WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Chatgpt
