World Rally Champion Thierry Neuville had a Monte Carlo Rally to remember for all the wrong reasons, as he astonishingly went off at the same corner twice during Friday’s stages. The Belgian driver, who began the day as the rally leader, endured a calamitous series of events that pushed him down to ninth overall and left him focused on salvaging points from the final stages.
A rally unraveling: Two costly mistakes at the same corner
Neuville’s troubles began during the morning loop of the iconic rally, where icy conditions proved unforgiving. On the final stage of the loop, a downhill right-hand hairpin caught him out, leading to an off that damaged the rear-left wheel and suspension of his Hyundai i20. In a twist of fate—or misfortune—Neuville returned to the same corner in the afternoon only to go off again, this time due to a puncture sustained three kilometers earlier.
“Yeah, a day to forget, clearly,” Neuville admitted, his frustration palpable. “This morning was difficult. First stage, first on the road, wasn’t a real advantage—lost a lot of time. Then the second stage was canceled, and on the third, I made a mistake. I misjudged the grip with new tires on dry Tarmac, and luckily, we got away with it.”
But the real irony came in the afternoon. “What we didn’t know is that it was the recce run for the afternoon loop,” Neuville quipped. “With the puncture, we were hesitant to stop and change the tire. We decided to carry on, but then the tire gave up at the exact same corner as this morning. It spun on the rim, and we went straight.”
A challenging day on the icy Monte
Neuville’s issues weren’t isolated to his two offs. Starting first on the road exposed him to worsening conditions, leaving him fighting a losing battle for grip. Despite his early setback, Neuville showed resilience, dragging his damaged car to the finish of the first pass of SS6.
Reflecting on the day, Neuville described it as “challenging from start to finish.” He explained how his road position gave him a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages: “We saw the road was improving in some sections, but on the last section of the last stage, it was tough. Overall, I felt OK, but it’s frustrating when you’re losing time through things beyond your control.”
Salvaging points and looking ahead
Now sitting ninth overall, 25.7 seconds behind Sami Pajari’s Toyota, Neuville’s focus has shifted to damage control. With the Super Sunday Power Stage offering up to 10 crucial championship points, he is determined to make the most of what’s left.
“Tomorrow, we might catch back one or two positions, but Sunday will be key,” Neuville emphasized. “The Power Stage is where we need to maximize our points.”
A rally to forget, but lessons learned
Neuville’s double disaster highlights the unpredictable and brutal nature of the Monte Carlo Rally. While his title defense started on a rocky note, the Belgian remains a fighter, determined to claw back ground in the championship battle. For Neuville and Hyundai, this rally will serve as a stark reminder of the fine margins that define the World Rally Championship.
