Auto – and Motorsport Sébastien Ogier (Citroen C3 WRC) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC), the third day of the Monte Carlo, respectively, as first and second concluded. The difference between leader Ogier, and first pursuer Neuville is only 4.3 seconds. Sébastien Loeb (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC) is shifted to the third place. He must have take into account a opzittende Ott Tänak (Toyota Yaris WRC). The Est won today, all four of the klassementsritten.
Tänak is the man of the third race day. After four stage victories is the Est moved from eighth to fifth place, he is a real threat to team-mate Latvala (Toyota Yaris WRC), and he has even more view on the stage. The difference between the third place of Loeb and Tänak is only 17.3. For title seems Tänak off, though you know in the Monte Carlo never what can happen. Certainly not with a double passage on the Col de Turini.
In normal circumstances to fight Ogier and Neuville for the victory. Both men remain in each other’s vicinity and are separated by only 4.3 seconds, a negligible difference. In the last ride of the day went to both riders for the first time really full in the attack, and even then the difference is only 0.2 seconds in the advantage of Ogier. It is a taster for what our Sunday is coming. Wins, Sébastien Ogier, for the seventh time in his career, the sixth consecutive time, the Monte Carlo or breaks Neuville the hegemony of French winners?
The first ride this morning claimed some of the victims. Mikkelsen (Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC), slipped when crossing the flying finish line in the grass and lost his linkerachterwiel. Esapekka Lappi (Citroen C3 WRC) had his car with technical problems on the side. Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta WRC), slipped in the second stage of the day of the job and had to also specify.
Guillaume de Mevius and Martijn Wydaeghe (Citroën C3 R5) benefited from all that bad luck and moved up to tenth place overall, second place in WRC2. Gregoire Munster (Skoda Fabia R5) is now out of the race disappeared. In the eleventh stage of the rally, the third of the day, he went of the track and damaged he the suspension.
The participants and teams leave this afternoon Gap with a final destination of Monaco, where tomorrow is still four klassementsritten be driven, including the double crossing of the Col de Turini. The Monte Carlo ends Sunday afternoon with the powerstage.
Neuville: “We’re going to try this contest to win, but we must also be smart”
“all in All, it was a good day for us. We do have plenty of them for the victory”, said Neuville. “Compared to yesterday we have four klassementsritten 2.3 seconds lost at Ogier, which, in itself, is not bad. Advance, it was difficult to estimate how the rhythm of these rides would be. Especially this morning, I had a few places faster, but when you’re too bright pushes you also risk more in the to go wrong. That’s what I wanted to absolutely avoid, but at the same time I had the pressure on Ogier held high. This is his home race and he knows it here as the back of his hand. Of course, we go tomorrow this contest to try to win, but we also need smart and of the bigger picture thinking.”