WRC
Neuville takes heart from Acropolis heartbreak
Thierry Neuville says his EKO Acropolis Rally Greece performance has given him renewed confidence for the WRC’s gravel run, despite the heartbreak of losing a potential victory on the final day.
The Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team driver led for much of the Greek classic and was locked in a tight final-day fight with Sébastien Ogier before two rear tyre deflations on Aghii Theodori 2 ended his hopes of a third Acropolis victory.
Neuville still finished second, 58.3sec behind Ogier, but admitted the immediate feeling at the finish was complicated.
“There are mixed feelings right now,” he said. “At some point, we really wanted to bring home the victory for the team and give them an extra boost for the rest of the season.
“But on the other hand, I can be pleased with the performance we delivered here this weekend.”
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More than the result itself, Neuville said the biggest positive was the way he felt inside the i20 N Rally1. After a difficult first half of the season, particularly on asphalt, the Belgian said the Acropolis reminded him what is possible when the car gives him the confidence he needs.
“I was pleased with the fact that I felt comfortable in the car,” he explained. “I actually realised it has been a very, very long time since I felt that comfortable. I nearly forgot that feeling.
“It shows that when we get the feeling we need in the car, and the car performs well, we can be up to speed. That is something very promising.
“It reminded me a bit of the good old times, when we were fighting with Sébastien on a regular basis.”
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Neuville and Ogier spent much of the rally separated by only a handful of seconds. Neuville led from Friday morning until Sunday’s opening stage, when Ogier moved 1.3sec ahead. The pair then set identical times on Loutraki 1 before Neuville’s challenge unravelled on the second pass of Aghii Theodori.
The 2024 world champion said he had not felt any clear impact before the first pressure loss.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t feel any impact. I even think one of them was on the Tarmac section.
“The first one was after 10 kilometres. It was a slow puncture, then we carried on and suddenly it started to drop. There was no impact, nothing, but there are so many stones around that you just don’t know.”
Neuville described the outcome as difficult to accept after a weekend where he and Hyundai had shown rally-winning speed, but he stopped short of placing the blame in one area.
“The Power Stage was much worse in terms of condition and nobody punctured,” he said. “So it really is a lottery now.
“With the experience I have over the past years, I have seen a lot of rallies and a lot of countries. I have travelled the world rallying, and these conditions are still able to surprise me every time. That means it is quite tough and rough.
“I think there is room for improvement on both sides. Maybe the roads need to be a bit smoother, and the tyres can be slightly stronger.”
The WRC now moves towards faster gravel events in Estonia and Finland, where Hyundai has been working to improve the i20 N Rally1’s performance.
Neuville was cautious when asked whether Acropolis proves the team can now carry its pace into the next rounds, but said there are reasons to be encouraged.
“For the next rallies, let’s see,” he said. “Last year we were fast on both events, but we were testing a lot in Finland. Now, I haven’t been in Finland since the beginning of the year, so it is something totally new.
“I think we should not be too far away.”
