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Sébastien Ogier suffers a puncture in the penultimate stage of the Rally de Portugal, drastically changing the dynamics of the competition. Here’s why this incident could define the outcome of the rally.
The final day started with challenging conditions of mud and rain. Ogier, who was leading the overall standings, lost almost eight seconds in the first stage to Thierry Neuville, reducing his lead to 14 seconds. Elfyn Evans took victory in this stage, surpassing Oliver Solberg, who suffered a slow puncture.
In the famous Fafe stage, Josh McErlean, after an accident in the super special on Saturday, initially stood out, but it was ultimately the WRC2 Skoda of Robert Virves that set the best time, beating the Irishman by 8.8 seconds. Meanwhile, Ogier and Neuville were battling to maintain their positions, with Ogier increasing his lead to 17 seconds after the first pass.
However, everything changed in Vieira do Minho, where Ogier, in favorable conditions, suffered a puncture that forced him to stop. Sami Pajari, also affected by a puncture, lost valuable minutes. Strategy and luck play a crucial role in this thrilling rally.
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