In Monte Carlo in January, the defending champion finished sixth, but at least he secured third place in Sweden in February. The season continues this week in Kenya, where Neuville has yet to achieve success.
From four attempts, Neuville’s record includes two retirements and two fifth-place finishes. The Belgian star anticipates another tricky race in Africa.
His retirement from the 2023 event was particularly embarrassing when individuals associated with his team were found on the route, leading to his disqualification for illegal reconnaissance.
“Safari Rally is very different from any other rally. Despite being rough like Greece, Kenya’s conditions, weather and surface can change very quickly. It’s rainy season over there, so if there’s precipitation, it’s very demanding both for the cars and for our visibility,” Neuville explains.
“The roughness of the terrain changes year on year; in addition to that, there are a couple of new stages as well as others that are run in the opposite direction to last time. Nevertheless, we need to have a clever drive.”
Patience is always key in Kenya. It’s not necessary to be the fastest driver on every stage, as long as you take care of the car.
“Taking care of the car and staying away from trouble will be key to that. Obviously, you need a bit of luck, but hopefully it’s going to work this year.”
Despite a challenging start to the season, Neuville has proven that the performance is still there. Now, everything needs to fall into place.
“While we expected more from Monte Carlo, the pace was definitely there, and that was shown in our performance in Sweden. We want to take it one step further in Kenya and finish on the podium steps,” Neuville says.
