SS8 & 9 – Evans and Ogier neck and neck, Neuville at fault – Motorsport.com, Edition: France

The day after a first stage marked by the intense duel at the forefront between Elfyn evans and Sebastien Ogier, launched in the race for the world title, the Rally of Monza resumed with a vengeance this Saturday with a program comparable in every respect to that of the day before.

However, the alarm clock rang even earlier for the 79 crews still in the race, the first car having left the parc fermé located on the pit lane of the autodrome at 5:50 am. After more than an hour of liaison, hostilities were relaunched with two timed sectors with profiles still as sinuous and demanding for action. Before returning to Selvino, the longest special of the weekend, with 24.93 km, already taken last year, the day started in the unprecedented San Fermo (14.80 km) and its countless hairpins.

In the Bergamasque Alps, the mano a mano between the two pilots Toyota gazoo racing did not lose intensity. From the first kilometers, the seven-time World Champion “makes driving fun without taking all the risks”. Despite a caution clearly displayed this morning, he took control of the general classification after SS8 before being imitated from the next special by his teammate. Concentrated on his race, the Welshman took advantage of his scratch in SS9 to dislodge Ogier from first place again.

Behind this magnificent battle, Thierry neuville was determined to catch up to come and join in the fight. Thanks to “some set-up changes”, the Belgian had also ideally started the day with the best time in SS8, allowing him to return to 18.5 behind the leader. ‘he lost control of his i20 Coupe WRC before crashing into a safety rail in the front right.

If the mechanics of its mount (radiator, steering) did not, at first glance, undergo any major damage, the fifteen seconds lost to restart the engine made it fall back to fourth place, behind Dani Sordo, but above all more than 44 “from the lead. Surprised to be in the top 5, Oliver solberg had a quieter start to the morning as he increased his margin against Takamoto Katsuta.

The second stage continues from 11:08 am with the second passage in the special of San Fermo and its 14.80 km. The Monza Rally can be followed in its entirety on Motorsport.com.

Morning scratches

SS8: T. Neuville

ES9: E. Evans

WRC Rallye de Monza – Classification after SS9