Thierry Neuville’s Acropolis Rally Nightmare Continues
Belgium’s Thierry Neuville’s hopes of a successful Acropolis Rally were dashed once again as he suffered yet another puncture, adding to his already frustrating Friday plagued by tire issues. The world champion, who led the event on Friday, faced two punctures that cost him over two and a half minutes, pushing him down to eighth place overall.
Saturday didn’t bring any relief for Neuville as he encountered yet another tire pressure loss on the opening stage of the day. Despite managing to finish the stage with the tire still intact but low on air, Neuville expressed his struggle, saying, “12kms on a puncture, was a slow puncture. I tried to manage like I could but obviously the last 5-6km, there was no speed anymore.”
While Neuville continues to face setbacks, his Hyundai teammates are faring better, holding the top two positions in the rally. Ott Tänak extended his lead to 13.0s after winning SS8, with Sébastien Ogier and Adrien Fourmaux following behind.
The rally saw some intense competition and challenges, with Grêgoire Munster encountering a handbrake problem, Takamoto Katsuta gaining on Kalle Rovanperä, and Josh McErlean damaging his Puma Rally1 on the last corner of the stage.
As the Acropolis Rally unfolds, the competition remains fierce, and Neuville’s struggle adds an element of unpredictability to the event. Will he be able to overcome his tire troubles and climb back up the rankings, or will his misfortune continue to haunt him throughout the rally? Stay tuned for more updates as the drama unfolds on the challenging Greek stages.
