On a rally when Sebastien Ogier proved he was human after all, Thierry Neuville ended his and his factory Hyundai team’s long wait for a 2023 victory in conditions more akin to what lies ahead on Kenya’s Safari Rally later this month.
Heavy rain building up to the event left normally dusty stages damp and muddy while intermittent showers – sometimes heavy – turned challenging roads slippery in the extreme, especially on second passes when ruts had filled with water and water crossings were notably deep.
And because tyre nominations had been made with typical Sardinian sunshine in mind, the 12 soft compound covers available to each Rally1 crew meant drivers had to cope with worn tyres when the conditions often demanded otherwise.
Third after Friday’s action, Neuville closed to within 13.5 seconds of Ogier following back-to-back
