WRC
Neuville: “Rallying is the toughest sport in the world”
Thierry Neuville has hailed his third-place finish at Safari Rally Kenya as a hard-earned reward after enduring one of the most gruelling weekends of his FIA World Rally Championship career.
The Belgian battled through a barrage of setbacks - including illness, time penalties, and recurring mechanical issues - to claim the final step on the podium behind Hyundai team-mate Ott Tänak and event winner Elfyn Evans.
Neuville’s rally unravelled early, with a one-minute time penalty on Friday morning after his car’s gearbox change overran the service window. A puncture followed later that day, before Saturday delivered another wave of drama: a 50-second penalty for lateness after repairing his i20 N Rally1’s cooling package on a road section, and 10 more seconds added for a jump start.
The defending world champion also stopped to change a wheel on Saturday’s opening stage, struggled with a misted windscreen during a rain-soaked afternoon, and suffered another puncture on the penultimate test.
On top of that, Neuville revealed he felt unwell - possibly due to heat exhaustion - and didn’t sleep at all on Friday night before facing one of the rally’s toughest legs.
Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe celebrate their third-place result
© Hyundai Motorsport
“I mean, if we wouldn't have been rewarded for all that effort this weekend, I would have been really disappointed,” Neuville said. “But again, it shows that rallying is the toughest motorsport in the world - and maybe one of the toughest sports [in general].
“You're fighting for a whole week. The recce was already tough and challenging, but the rally was just another dimension this year, to be honest - in terms of conditions, challenges, so many difficulties, and obviously so many problems as well for us. And the health as well - that made it not much easier.”
Hyundai fielded its older-specification i20 N Rally1 in Kenya in pursuit of increased reliability. Neuville backed the decision but admitted lingering technical gremlins remain a concern.
“We had a great Sunday. I was really afraid that something was going to break down, but it didn't - so I'm super happy,” he added.
The rally just was another dimension this year - in terms of conditions, challenges, and so many difficulties.
“I think it was a good move [to revert to the older-spec car]. But nevertheless, again, some small issues which always come back year after year, and it should have been solved - so that's frustrating, and I think we will have a good debrief and talk about that with the team.”
Despite the week’s challenges, Neuville climbed to second in the drivers’ standings. He now trails championship leader Evans - winner of two of the opening three rounds - by 36 points heading into next month’s Rally Islas Canarias (24 – 27 April).
Neuville's result elevated him to P2 in the championship standings
© Hyundai Motorsport
Neuville’s Safari Rally struggles, in full
• Technical issue in final sector of SS2
• 1-minute time penalty after gearbox change overran on Friday morning
• 10-second penalty for jump start on SS5
• Puncture on SS6
• 50-second time penalty after repairing cooling system on road section following SS7
• Illness and zero sleep on Friday night
• Mid-stage wheel change on SS11
• Misted windscreen during Saturday afternoon rain
• Front-right puncture on SS15
