Reigning World Rally Champion Thierry Neuville believes his title hopes are over after a puncture ruined his Secto Rally Finland.
The Hyundai driver had been rally leader Kalle Rovanperä’s closest challenger throughout most of Friday and all of Saturday, but a front-right deflation on SS16 cost him more than 1m30s and dropped him to sixth.
While two stages remain on Sunday, the Belgian – who is currently 48 points adrift of the championship lead – feels his chances have now vanished.
Neuville told DirtFish: “We were on course for a good result here this weekend and, obviously, also on route to get back in the championship fight as well with Ott [Tänak] and Elfyn [Evans] being behind, but unfortunately after that puncture, I think any bigger hopes for an interesting championship fight at the end of the season with us involved… I would say they are gone.”
Asked to clarify if it genuinely feels like his title defense is now over, Neuville reiterated: “We needed a good result here.
Neuville was running second and looking set for his strongest ever Rally Finland performance before his Västilä deflation
“We came here well prepared, we pushed ourselves very hard to do a good rally, which is obviously not our strongest event and we were on course. But I mean it keeps coming and hitting us all the time since the beginning of the year.
“There has been no rally except Sweden where we were trouble-less and still we got a couple of podiums this year, but other than that lots of fighting and, yeah, trouble.”
Neuville suggested at the end of SS17 that it felt like he was getting “no reward” for his efforts this season.
He added: “Yeah, I mean, it’s tough. It’s tough, but it’s tough for everybody who’s working hard in their own job and never gets the reward. So it feels the same for us.
“Obviously, for us, it’s maybe a bit more pressure as well at the same time to manage, but yeah. I don’t know what to say. I mean, we all feel together, family, friends, team, everybody is suffering now, but I mean there’s no other way than looking forward.
“I don’t think there’s anything too positive or [anything to] make it positive now, but at least we are healthy and we are enjoying when we are driving.”
