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Thierry Neuville seizes the lead in Rally Portugal with just one stage left, as reigning champion Sebastien Ogier faces a dramatic puncture. This turn of events could redefine the championship landscape.
Ogier, aiming for his eighth victory in Portugal and holding a 17.3-second advantage, appeared set for success until disaster struck on stage 22. A hidden rock punctured his right rear tire, forcing him and co-driver Vincent Landais to stop for a wheel change, costing them two valuable minutes and dropping them to sixth place. “It was very rough… rocks everywhere at the beginning,” Ogier expressed his frustration.
As a result, Neuville capitalizes on the misfortune, now leading by 14.8 seconds and positioned to secure Hyundai’s first win of the season since last year. He narrowly missed victory in Croatia last month after a crash in the final stage, but remains focused. “Nothing is done yet… we must finish,” he stated, mindful of past mistakes.
The leaderboard shifts dramatically, with Sami Pajari also suffering a puncture, falling to seventh. Oliver Solberg moves up to second, while Elfyn Evans takes third, and Adrien Fourmaux sets the fastest time on stage 22. Takamoto Katsuta rounds out the top five, with Pajari, Dani Sordo, Martins Sesks, and Teemu Suninen completing the top ten.
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