Ahead of the final two rounds of the season, Neuville holds a 29-point lead over teammate Ott Tänak. If Neuville can score just a few more points than the Estonian at next weekend’s Central European Rally, he will secure the title.
“The main goal is to manage our championship so we can take many points as possible. Of course, we would like to get that title in our pocket, but our first focus will be having a consistent run,” Neuville emphasizes.
Neuville has fond memories of the historic first Central European Rally last year. Although Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä celebrated his second career championship in Passau, Germany, it was Neuville who took the rally victory.
“Last year we had a great victory at the very first Central European Rally. We know we usually perform well on tarmac, and winning in Germany was super cool for the whole team,” Neuville says, referring to Hyundai’s headquarters in Alzenau, Germany.
“Despite difficult conditions, we performed well.”
This year, the route includes new stages and sections, promising an exciting competition. If the weather is as rainy as it was last time, there will surely be plenty of action.
“Because of the stage changes we need to do some video work, so we will be studying those as much as possible to get a good feel of the new areas,” Neuville stresses.
“We tested at a small pre-event rally in Austria to have enough time to get back into a rhythm and also work on the car setup.”
The Central European Rally kicks off Thursday morning with a shakedown near Prague. In the afternoon, there will be a Super Special stage in Prague, followed by the first forest stage in Klatovy in the evening.
The rally will feature a total of 18 stages, covering just over 300 kilometers.
