Neuville: A crazy and exciting rally in Argentina

With a gap of 0″7 at the finish between the winner Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and his runner-up Elfyn Evans (Ford), the Rally of Argentina is to be ranked among the events of the WRC the tightest in history.

Sébastien Ogier won with two tenths ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala in Jordan in 2011, when Marcus Grönholm held off Sébastien Loeb in New Zealand in 2007 by three tenths, the outcome of the Argentinian event yesterday coming in the wake of these two rallies.

A thrilling end to the race, which was partly decided during contact with a bridge from Elfyn Evans in the Power Stage, offering Neuville a sufficient advantage on the finish line.

“It’s hard to believe, admits the Belgian from Hyundai. I have never had such a nerve-racking finish in a rally in my career.

It’s an incredible result and I have to say thank you first to the team for everything they have done. Also congratulations to Elfyn, who put up an incredible fight this weekend.

I gave absolutely everything I had in today’s final stages. After the difficult start to the rally, I would have been happy to take second place, but it's a special feeling to win again. It was a crazy and exciting rally from the start, so the victory is fantastic. »

New impetus

On the way to winning the Monte-Carlo Rally and in Sweden, Thierry Neuville missed two golden opportunities before finally finding his way to victory in Corsica on asphalt.

A success on the Isle of Beauty which seems to have given new life to the Hyundai driver. “We wanted to build on our victory in Corsica and this was the ideal way to do it.

Winning the Power Stage is just the icing on the cake and gives us a major boost in the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ championship. We couldn't have asked for more. »

Neuville now has 84 points in the championship, two points behind second place Jari-Matti Latvala. Sébastien Ogier remains leader of the ranking with 102 units.

Find the full report and analysis of the Rally Argentina, produced by our special correspondent in Villa Carlos Paz, in issue 2112 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Thursday on newsstands.