P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Thierry Neuville grabbed a slender overnight lead as the first-ever Central European Rally got under way on Thursday. Thousands of
Earlier today, thousands of spectators gathered in Prague to witness the start of the FIA World Rally Championship, with Czech President Petr Pavel flagging off the cars and stars. The rally then moved back to Germany, specifically the Passau service park in the southeast. Belgian driver Thierry Neuville, behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N, took the lead overnight by 1.2 seconds, surpassing Ott Tänak in his M-Sport Ford Puma. Sébastien Ogier, in a Toyota GR Yaris, secured the final podium spot despite not having a good feeling in the car. Meanwhile, championship leader Kalle Rovanperä is only a tenth of a second behind Tänak, and a strong performance against his teammate Elfyn Evans could potentially lead to Rovanperä clinching his second consecutive WRC title this week.
Source: Motorsport Week
