Hyundai Motorsport is aware of that the Ypres Rally is an all or nothing. The battle for the drivers ‘and constructors’ title of the WRC is just too inclined in direction of Toyota, a state of affairs that the South Korean agency can solely reverse with a nice end result on the Belgian asphalt sections. And for the second, the efficiency of its pilots can’t be higher. Thierry Neuville leads at residence after the first 4 phases of the Ypres RallyThough Craig Breen has turn into a robust opponent to crack. For its half, Ott Tänak closes Hyundai’s treble in a first loop through which M-Sport has misplaced each of its automobiles.
With a heterogeneous mount through which the Pirelli tires of the arduous compound have been the most well-liked possibilityApart from Sébastien Ogier, the opening phases of the Ypres Rally have left a clear dominance for Hyundai. Ott Tänak was accountable for sealing this case in the first place along with his scratch in SS1, though the Estonian couldn’t resist the push of his two teammates after skipping a crossing. Craig Breen set the finest time in SS2 to place himself as provisional chief of the take a look at. The Irishman repeated scratch in the SS3, though with Thierry Neuville very shut and with out giving up nearly time with Breen.
Craig Breen has made a nice begin to Ypres Rally at the controls of his Hyundai i20 WRC Coupé.
By then, Hyundai’s rivals had already suffered the first ups and downs. With out going any additional, the chief Sébastien Ogier had a puncture that made him lose 12.2 seconds in the SS3. All in all, the worst half was for M-Sport, since Adrien Fourmaux suffered a extreme accident in the third stage after shedding management of the automotive in a very soiled left-hand nook. With nearly no time to get well from this scare, the group additionally misplaced its different World Rally Automobile. Briton Gus Greensmith had a observe begin as quickly as the SS4 began.
A fourth stage through which Thierry Neuville achieved his first scratchsufficient to take the lead in the Ypres Rally. After the first loop, Neuville is 4 tenths forward of Craig Breen, the solely rider who has saved tempo with the native hero. In truth, Ott Tänak is already 16.Four seconds behind the chief, partly attributable to the aforementioned error in a crossing and partly attributable to the lack of confidence. All in all, the Estonian stays eight tenths forward of Elfyn Evans, Toyota’s finest driver in a situation through which Kalle Rovanperä is fifth and Sébastien Ogier sixth. For its half, Takamoto Katsuta is seventh.
Though Pierre-Louis Loubet occupies the eighth place, the lack of the Ford Fiesta WRC has opened the doorways of the ‘prime 10’ to the finest ‘Rally2’. Inside this situation, Teemu Suninen ranked ninth as the WRC2 class chief. The M-Sport driver is the solely purpose to smile inside the Cumbrian coach after being at the forefront of the silver class 22.7 seconds forward of Oliver Solberg. Jari Huttunen completes the provisional podium with the second of the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. At the second, the debut of the new automotive of the model is being considerably grey.
Thierry Neuville guidelines at residence and leads the Ypres Rally shakedownRead information
For its half, Yohan Rossel is ranked 10th general as the WRC3 class chief. The French rider maintains a 13.4-second lead over Sébastien Bedoret. For his half, fellow native driver Vincent Verschueren occupies third place in a class through which native drivers are the majority, amongst different issues as a result of Pepe López has lastly chosen to ‘skip’ this take a look at inside his program. Lastly, Jon Armstrong is the first JWRC class chief after a meteoric rally begin through which he surpassed Robert Virves by 33.7 seconds.
Classification after SS4 of the 56th Ypres Rally
Pilot Pos Car Time / Dif.
1st Thierry Neuville
Hyundai i20 WRC Coupe
34: 42.2
2ºCraig Breen
Hyundai i20 WRC Coupe
+ 0.43ºOtt Tänak
Hyundai i20 WRC Coupe
+ 16.44º
Elfyn evans
Toyota Yaris WRC
+17.2
fifth Kalle Rovanperä
Toyota Yaris WRC
+ 22.56º
Sébastien Ogier
Toyota Yaris WRC + 30.3
seventh
Takamoto katsuta
Toyota Yaris WRC + 47.9
eighth Pierre-Louis Loubet
Hyundai i20 WRC Coupe
+1: 38.39ºTeemu Suninen
Ford Fiesta Rally2
+2: 47.510ºYohan Rossel
Citroën C3 Rally2
+2: 51.9
The Ypres Rally continues this Friday (18:15) with the celebration of the final 4 sections of the first stage. Drivers and co-drivers will compete 67.67 kilometers against the clock.
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