Massive Shakeup In the Acropolis Rally Leaderboard
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- 📺 Watch the extended highlights from Saturday on Red Bull TV: www.redbull.co...
Thierry Neuville charged to a lead of almost half a minute as Saturday’s gruelling leg pierced the Rally1 field at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.
One-third of the top-tier crews failed to complete the brutal 147.98km route on rugged gravel stages near Lamia - but Neuville’s Hyundai Motorsport squad was impenetrable and is poised for what could be the manufacturer’s first-ever 1-2-3.
After trailing Friday leader Sébastien Loeb by 16.0sec overnight, the Belgian driver was surprised to find himself at the top of the standings just one stage into the penultimate leg when Loeb’s M-Sport Ford Puma threw an alternator belt after the finish.
Neuville was unchallenged from that moment onwards and he maintained an impressive pace throughout the day, romping to three fastest times as his rivals hit trouble. A dashboard warning alarm for low battery voltage provided a brief scare but did not appear to have any effect on the car’s performance.
He carries a hefty 27.9sec advantage over Ott Tänak into Sunday’s three-stage finale and, as it stands, remains on-course to claim his first-ever victory of the WRC’s hybrid era.
"It has been a great day for us,” reflected Neuville. “A bit of a hard one this afternoon with some trouble with the car, but we survived and we are here now. We had a warning for battery voltage, but it seems okay.
“My tyres weren't so good for the last few stages and I was just trying to drive cleanly through to avoid punctures," he added.
Although Tänak started strongly with a stage win at Pygros, he was unable to make any major gains on his leading partner since moving into the top-three when Pierre-Louis Loubet’s Puma punctured on SS9.
Tänak complained of differential niggles during the morning loop but things seemed to improve after service and he headed colleague Dani Sordo by 25.0sec at close of play.
Sordo swooped onto the podium late in the day at the expense of Toyota man Esapekka Lappi, whose Yaris developed a fuel-related problem in the penultimate stage. The engine kept cutting out and he was eventually forced to retire on the road section.
Toyota’s hopes then rested on the shoulders of Elfyn Evans, who brought his Yaris home in fourth overall. The Welshman struggled to find a rhythm, especially in loose conditions on the morning pass, but pressured Sordo in the closing stages to end only 7.1sec behind.
Loubet recovered to round off the top-five, albeit more than two minutes back from the lead. His Puma colleague Craig Breen followed, with Toyota youngster Takamoto Katsuta behind in seventh after a scrappy day which included two spins.
Kalle Rovanperä’s hopes of sealing the drivers’ title this week were dashed when he swiped a tree on the first pass through Perivoli. Although he was able to continue, the Toyota wunderkind dropped over 11 minutes as he limped back to service with body damage and brake issues.
M-Sport’s woes were compounded by the retirements of Gus Greensmith and Jourdan Serderidis. Greensmith had been running in the top-six but stopped with a mechanical failure on SS11, while Serderidis’ Puma hit electrical trouble after leaving the lunchtime service.
Sunday’s finale takes place north of the rally base. Eleftherochori (16.90km) runs twice and sandwiches a single run of Elatia-Rengini (11.26km).
Leading positions after Saturday:
1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3hr 6min 34.4sec
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +27.9sec
3. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +52.9sec
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1min 0.0sec
5. P-L Loubet / V Landais FRA Ford Puma +2min 40.1sec
6. C Breen / P Nagle IRL Ford Puma +3min 47.2
#wrc #acropolisrally
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Авто/Мото
📺 Watch extended highlights from today's stages on Red Bull TV tonight: www.redbull.com/int-en/live/fia-world-rally-championship-2022-greece-saturday-highlights
Much better than the official WRC channel. At least we see all the main action, and WITHOUT SILLY MUSIC.
True!
i agree, since i discovered red bull rally featuring wrc which is 4 minutes longer than wrc youtube channel, i always wait the days highlight every rally.
Imagine if they used good music tho
@@jonmandelbaum5395 that's another story. But in general, for the daily action the engine sound is enough. They could make an event highlight video with music, after the event though.
Lmaoo they hearted your comment, nothing but facts!
Wtaching what Loeb has to deal with this season is so sad and disappointing.
I feel so sorry for Loeb. He deserved this win
Glad to see M-Sport finally have a promising racer after Loeb
Great job RBR my goto for highlights.
Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for following
Wow, that would be a HOOT!!! If in the end, Hyundai locks out the rest of the pack, in a 1,2,3 podium finish. Great coverage as always Red Bull Rally.
Thanks Red Bull Rally BRILLIANT COVERAGE AGAIN
Thanks a lot, more coming your way tomorrow!
Great highlights very well put together thank you 🔥❤️
Glad you enjoyed
Bad luck for Loeb and Loubet, M sport just can't catch a break.
Yeah today Lady Luck wasn't on their side
Nooooo!
Not Loeb and Loubet!
Pressure is on Rova. Neuville should give first place points to Tänak. Something magical might happen.
🤣
One of the hardest track....but beautiful!!!
By far the best dirt rally in the WRC... and its name says it too: The Rally of Gods🏛️
Safari Rally Kenya 🇰🇪🐆
Got to feel for loeb but hope ott wins the title needs to go to the final race
They should play out team orders here as OTT will be very fast in NZ round coming up
С. Лоеб это легенда! 👍
I don't particularly like team orders, but Neuville should assist Tanak for the win to boost his championship fight, just like other drivers have done for him in the past.
Bad luck for the Master. A $10 belt taking him out of the fight. But that's rallying sometimes.
Why?, did Tanak give his one better finishing position to Neuville in Croatia or Estonia when Neuville was second in the championship and road order, keep team orders out of it, if you can't win on your own merit you didn't deserve it.
Damn if only Neuville didn’t throw away that Ypres victory… Rovenperra out of points two times in a row. Unthinkable has happened. Now he’s to far off to challenge the championship lead.
Absolutely not
@@Karincl7 , haha, i hope I’m wrong, but he’s turning out to be the Poulidor of WRC 😆
Strange to see no Toyota on top 🥲
Awesome highlights Red bull Rally 🔥
Greece is BRUTAL!
Where's Toyotas other drivers they all in the fight for the championship but put it all on Kalle shoulders damn wake up guys
👍👍👍👍👍
Go i20 go ,hope the Hyundai take all the three places tomorrow.
😎👍
hyundai is more focused on having a triple finish than the driver championship
Now toyota much problem...and look weak.
😊
So disappointed in Toyota their performance stinks man wake up dammit
First
🏆
Heartbroken for M-Sport. :(