Thierry Neuville delivered a remarkable performance on Saturday at the FORUM8 Rally Japan, putting himself tantalizingly close to clinching his maiden FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers’ title. In a day filled with drama and comebacks, the Belgian driver climbed from 15th to seventh overall, securing vital points that could see him crowned champion on Sunday.
Neuville’s Determined Comeback
After a turbocharger failure derailed his campaign on Friday, Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe showcased their resilience on the challenging asphalt stages of Aichi. By the end of Saturday, they had clawed back significant ground, provisionally earning four points. With just two more points needed on the final day, Neuville is poised to break his five-time runner-up streak and make history as Belgium’s first WRC champion.
Reflecting on his recovery, Neuville shared, “We need to be satisfied with our performance today. Climbing to P7 didn’t seem realistic this morning. Tomorrow could be a big day, so we’ll cross our fingers and stay focused.”
Tänak’s Stronghold for Hyundai
At the front, Ott Tänak strengthened his grip on the lead, ending Saturday 38.0 seconds ahead of Toyota’s Elfyn Evans. While Tänak’s chances of a second drivers’ title remain slim, his efforts are pivotal for Hyundai, which leads Toyota by 11 points in the manufacturers’ championship.
“It’s been tough, but we’ve been stronger in the second loop,” said Tänak. “The manufacturers’ title is our big target, and we’re determined to achieve it.”
Ogier and Katsuta Battle in the Top Five
Eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier rebounded after a challenging Friday, vaulting from fifth to third with a series of strong stage performances. His Toyota GAZOO Racing teammate Takamoto Katsuta, however, lost ground after a spin on SS12, falling behind M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux, who now holds fourth.
Katsuta, cheered on by home crowds, is locked in a tight battle with Fourmaux, trailing the Frenchman by just 6.1 seconds.
Impressive Drives Across the Field
Ford Puma youngster Grégoire Munster enjoyed a standout day, describing it as his “best-ever” performance on Tarmac. In WRC2, Nikolay Gryazin extended his lead to over 1 minute and 25 seconds, while Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 driver Sami Pajari is on course to secure both the WRC2 and WRC2 Challenger titles.
Saturday Standings
- O Tänak / M Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N) – 2h 39m 48.0s
- E Evans / S Martin (Toyota GR Yaris) +38.0s
- S Ogier / V Landais (Toyota GR Yaris) +2m 10.0s
- A Fourmaux / A Coria (Ford Puma) +2m 19.1s
- T Katsuta / A Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris) +2m 25.2s
- G Munster / L Louka (Ford Puma) +3m 07.1s
Category Leaders
- WRC: O Tänak / M Järveoja
- WRC2: N Gryazin / K Aleksandrov
- WRC3: D Dominguez / R Peñate
Source: WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Chatgpt
