Salou (Spain) (AFP)
Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) leads Rally Spain after the first day ahead of Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), championship leader who did not get on the right track to be crowned this weekend. .
Neuville is ahead of Evans by 0.7 seconds after the first six stages out of 17. But it was above all the gap between Evans and Ogier, of 18.7 seconds, which marked this first day on the steep roads of Catalonia.
At this rate, Ogier, "too careful" and "too slow", will not be titled Sunday and would see his lead in the championship reduced, while it was 24 points before this 11th round out of 12.
First leader of the day, Evans left the rally lead at Neuville after the fifth special on Friday afternoon, when he nearly lost more than his head, hitting the scene on a bend.
- Ogier: "Not enough confidence" -
"It was a pretty intense moment! I was surprised by the gravel and she (her car, editor's note) left. Obviously afterwards, I was hesitant in other places. We had difficulties in the gravel. ", admitted the Welshman.
Ultimately more fear (and a few thousandths of a second lost) than harm for the reigning vice-world champion, who can maintain the suspense in the championship before the last round in Monza (Italy) from 19 to 21 November.
Evans wants his final, and his revenge: it was at Monza that Ogier had dominated him at the end of 2020 to clinch his seventh world crown.
The Frenchman, who must score six points more than Evans in the championship this Sunday to be titled in Catalonia, did not have an ideal start.
"I was too careful, I have to wake up at the next special," he said from the first lap.
"The one who had a good awakening is Elfyn!", Continued the Frenchman after the second.
What then is he missing to follow Neuville and Evans through the mountain bends near Tarragona (northeast)?
"Just the speed, I'm too slow", he commented at the end of the day.
The French Sébastien Ogier at the wheel of his Toyota Yaris during the first day of the Rally of Spain in La Granadella, October 15, 2021 Pau BARRENA AFP
"I do not have enough confidence to push the car to the maximum", he continued, while relativizing: "It is not a very bad day either but I had to fight every moment with it. the car, with the settings, without finding the best solution ".
After an absence in 2020 due to a pandemic, Catalonia is back in its rally, in a 100% asphalt version and not mixed asphalt / gravel as was the case in recent years.
The second day starts at 8:44 am Saturday with seven specials on the program until 6:00 pm.
"I can't wait to be there," smiled Neuville, "more and more comfortable" as the day went on Friday.
Third in the championship, the Belgian, eliminated from the title race, is aiming for a second victory this season after his national rally in Ypres.
The Spaniard Dani Sordo (Hyundai), the Finnish Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) and the French Adrien Fourmaux (M-Sport Ford) are 4th, 5th and 6th.
© 2021 AFP