A beautiful day for Neuville

Thierry Neuville remains in contention for victory in Rally Monte Carlo. The pilot Hyundai took the scratch in 3 of the 4 specials of the day. The Belgian nevertheless remains in 3rd place, just over 6 seconds from the lead after losing almost 14 seconds on leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota) in SS10.

“I am happy with what we managed to do today, confides the Hyundai driver. We have made clear progress compared to the day before and I feel more confident. With 3 stage wins in 4 stages, we are in the fight for victory. It's very positive. I am satisfied with the performance achieved. »

“Thanks to the corrections made to the notes, we were able to attack more without increasing risk-taking. The goal for tomorrow is to fight for victory while remaining cautious”, he adds.

If Hyundai only has 2 left WRC in the race after the abandonment ofOtt Tänak, the Korean manufacturer remains well represented since Sébastien Loeb still in 4th place. Unlike his teammate, the nine-time world champion is disappointed with his day.

“It was not a good day for us, admits the Alsatian. I constantly struggled to get the rhythm right. We waste time when we don't feel 100%. Conditions were difficult to establish with these grip levels constantly changing. I made a small mistake in the last special of the day when I spun into an icy bend. We try to remain cautious. The three crews in front of us are going very fast and my objective is to maintain this position while hoping for a better day tomorrow. »

Thierry Neuville could claim a first victory at the Monte-Carlo Rally, this event having been dominated by the French since 2011. Hyundai has never won in this round.