The first World Rally Series victory of the season in Monte Carlo answered many pressing questions. But not definitively, I just indicated the correct answer. Monte Carlo, as well as future rallies in Sweden, Dakar and Croatia, are specific rallies and only by starting from Portugal can you see where you are and where you are going, said Ott Tänak. But still preliminary questions and answers…
Can Thierry Neuville finally become world champion? Yes, because in Monte Carlo he proved that he is a driver.
Will Tänak have time to adapt to the car when he returns to Hyundai after a year’s break? Yes, but I hope not too much.
Does Elfyn Evans have champion stuff? No, why take your foot off the accelerator when you’re just 5.1 seconds from the lead and declare that third place points are fine too…
Will Sébastien Ogier be strong enough to win the tenth Monte Carlo Rally? Not at first, because even the Grand Master has bad weekends.
Has Hyundai car become as good as Toyota? Yes and more.
Will the new rules work, according to which seven games are played on Sunday and five more points in the points test? Decidedly! It was a fantastic Sunday.
Is the new scoring system good? If you look with blue and white glasses, then yes, if you look with glasses with the colors of the Belgian flag, then no.
Can someone score 30 points or be the fastest for Saturday night, Sunday and the points race? Yes, if you’re crazy like Neuville.
Neuville is the new Iceman
As for the Monte Carlo Rally, again the race took place in spring conditions, but there was enough ice on the road (a little, actually) to ruin everyone’s driving except Neuville’s .
Tänak was the first to fall in the big game, slipping away and losing half a minute. “I knew exactly where the ice was, but I didn’t respect that place, I drove too fast and I was punished,” Tänak took the blame like a man of honor. Add to that the engine problems that reduced the seconds, Tänak was unable to achieve more than fourth place on Saturday evening, when the most important points were distributed.
Everything worked perfectly: the car was fantastic, I had enough confidence and speed.
Thierry Neuville
Three men, however, Neuville, Ogier and Evans, were fighting for second place. Evans was the first to throw his gloves into the corner and during Saturday’s lunch break he announced that he would settle for third place. Yes, he also had small problems with the hybrid drive, but that wasn’t the main thing. “On Thursday and Friday Evans started first and had a clear path. When conditions worsened on Friday, when he started last, Evans decided to give up the fight for first place, because racing seemed too risky, and to keep the points he had,” explained Toyota boss Jari-Matti Latvala, because Evans, who had been leading until the ninth test, slowed down.
Eight-time world champion Ogier’s wings were also shortened by ice. His goal of winning the tenth Monte Carlo Rally was thwarted by a couple of poor speed tests in which the losses piled up excessively. For example, in the first speed test on Saturday, he was almost 20 seconds behind Neuville. “Legend was too cautious,” Ogier complained. “The front drivers had warned that the ice was worse than it actually was. On the other hand, they looked at the road two hours before I left, and in that time a lot has changed. But I have to trust the legend However, I made some corrections in subsequent tests.”
Ogier takes no chances
Ogier’s hopes were finally dashed on Sunday when he amassed another ten-second deficit in two attempts, leaving him just 3.3 seconds behind Neuville. “I tried. I rode well, but I don’t take unnecessary risks,” Ogier said irritably. “Yes, I didn’t get the tenth victory at Monte, but I still have more than the others. The nine first places aren’t bad either.”
Neuville, however, continued to push and won everything possible, namely 30 points. “I have no words, we put the whole package together and everything worked perfectly: the car was fantastic, I had enough confidence and speed,” Neuville said with a big smile.
However, Neuville did not say that his success would have been greater under the old points system. If we take into consideration the three riders who are currently fighting for the world title, the ranking is as follows: Neuville 30, Evans 21 and Tänak 15 points. However, according to the old scoring table, the score would have been: 30, 17 and 13 points. So the competition will be tight.
But… The situation is tough, especially with the new rules. If Tänak had been just 2.7 seconds faster in the points race, he would have earned five more points and the situation would have been as follows: Neuville 30, Tänak 20 and Evans 19 points.
The next World Cup meet will start as early as February 15 in Sweden.
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2024-01-29 05:00:00
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