Tänak now has a six-second lead over the Toyota of Briton Elfyn Evans, with one stage remaining on Saturday's schedule.

Neuville went too wide in a left turn at the end of the special and was stuck in a ditch for several minutes.

He then immobilized his i20, damaged in the front right.

The Belgian, who had signed eight "scratches" since the start of the weekend, is the third WRC driver trapped on the asphalt and narrow roads of the Flanders Westhoek.

Before him, the Irishman Craig Breen (5th at the start on Saturday) had rolled over on Saturday morning in SS10, causing a fire to start in his Ford Puma and the cancellation of the special.

Forced to retire on Friday after his impressive crash on SS2, Finland's Kalle Rovanpera got back behind the wheel but with an hour penalty.

The leader of the world championship (with the comfortable lead of 94 and 95 points over Tänak and Neuville) no longer has any ambition in Ypres but to score a few points on Sunday in the Power Stage.

The rally ends Sunday early afternoon with a loop of four stages (51.34 km timed).

© 2022 AFP