Although Neuville had to acknowledge Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier’s superiority in the first two stages on Thursday – where the Frenchman set the fastest times – Ogier made a mistake on the final stage of the day.
Ogier came close to rolling his car. While his Toyota remained upright, the time lost in the incident was enough to elevate Neuville, who had been consistently performing well, to the rally’s lead by the overnight break.
Neuville now leads the rally by two seconds over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans. Third-placed Ogier trails Neuville by 12.8 seconds.
“It was challenging as always, but no surprises on that front. However, there were a lot of unknowns with the tyres and road conditions in terms of how fast you can actually push,” Neuville summarized.
“I was trying to find a decent rhythm—not too slow, not too fast—while also building more mileage to better understand how to set up the car and manage the tires in those conditions. We kept taking steps forward, always in the right direction, so that’s a positive,” Neuville added.
Neuville can be pleased with the first day’s performance, as even a small mistake could have cost him dearly.
“You really need to be careful, as surprises can come up quickly. I think we did what we needed to do in this opening loop, and I’m satisfied with how it went, as well as with what we’ve learned from the day,” Neuville concluded happily.
Teammate Ott Tänak, however, did not have as smooth a day. While the Estonian had been the fastest in Wednesday’s shakedown, his pace was more subdued in the rally itself. Tänak currently sits in fourth place, 27 seconds behind Neuville.
“It’s definitely good to be here, no question about that,” Tänak said with relief.
“The conditions are incredibly tricky in some sections – but in places it’s actually quite enjoyable and consistent,” Tänak added.
However, amidst the enjoyment, Tänak admitted to facing difficulties.
“But then, out of nowhere, there are surprises that you just can’t anticipate. When that happens, you start to play it safe, easing off in every corner,” Tänak noted.
Friday in Monte-Carlo could already bring some decisive moments. A long day of six stages will likely provide a clearer picture of the overall standings.
“In the end, it’s all about tomorrow. It looks like it’ll get colder overnight, so we’ll see how it goes,” Tänak previewed.
