P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Neuville frustrated as WRC Safari Rally hoodoo continues
The WRC points leader advanced to second place on Saturday morning, benefiting from punctures that slowed down his Toyota competitors Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta. Despite this, Thierry Neuville’s hopes of a podium finish were crushed when his i20 N experienced power issues, leading to multiple stops and finishing the stage in EV mode. Unable to rectify the problem related to the fuel system, Neuville lost over 10 minutes in the afternoon loop, dropping from second to fifth place behind leader Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera by 11m48.6s, conceding seven championship points to Evans. Neuville expressed frustration over the recurring issues faced at the Safari Rally, emphasizing the disappointment of not reaping rewards after extensive preparation. Despite the setback, team principal Cyril Abiteboul highlighted the need to investigate and understand the anomaly in Neuville’s car performance during the afternoon stages. As Neuville aims to complete Sunday’s stages, he stands to gain at least eight championship points under the new points system introduced in 2024.
