WRC-Kenya: Neuville retires, Ogier favorite for victory

Wide leader of the Kenya rally, Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) lost everything during the first special on Sunday by breaking his right rear suspension. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) is therefore the new leader, but he is less than a second ahead of his teammate Sébastien Ogier.

SS15 (Hell’s Gate 1, 5.63km): Neuville gives up, Katsuta leader by eight tenths!

Black Sunday for Thierry Neuville! The Belgian driver failed to repair his right rear suspension between the two stages and was forced to retire. After finishing third in four out of five rallies this year, the Hyundai driver will lose big this weekend. It was Elfyn Evans who ultimately won this SS15 shortened by five kilometers. But it is Takamoto Katsuta who is the new leader, for the very first time in his career, after finishing fourth in the special. He is now… eight tenths ahead of his teammate Sébastien Ogier, third in SS15 and now big favorite for the final victory. “The plan today was to fight for second place. Now that Thierry is out of the race, I will fight for the victory. The conditions were really not good during this special »reacted Ogier, who is 1’12 ahead of third, Ott Tänak. There are still three specials to go.

SS14 (Loldia 1, 11.33km): Neuville loses a minute!

Thunderclap during the first special of the last day of the Kenya rally! Large leader on Saturday evening, with 57 seconds ahead of Takamoto Katsuta and 1’15 over Sébastien Ogier, Thierry Neuville lost 46 seconds over the Japanese and 59 over the French, winner of this SS14. The Belgian driver experienced a suspension problem at the rear right and had to idle throughout the special, to finish it in eleventh position. A disaster for Neuville, who did not speak at the finish, and who has only 12 seconds ahead of Katsuta and 16 over Ogier. Will he be able to repair before the next stage? “I have to push to try to fight for second place, said Ogier on arrival. It wasn’t a perfect stage, I made a mistake in a corner, but you have to keep trying ”. However, it is no longer for the second place that he will be able to fight, but for the first!

RALLYE – WRC / KENYA
Ranking at the end of SS15 (out of 18) – Sunday June 27, 2021
1- Takamoto Katsuta – Daniel Barritt (JAP-GBR / Toyota) en 2h57’12 ″ 3
2- Sébastien Ogier – Julien Ingrassia (FRA / Toyota) at 0 ″ 8
3- Ott Tänak – Martin Järveoja (EST-EST / Hyundai) à 1’13 ″ 3

4- Gus Greensmith – Chris Patterson (GBR-GBR/Ford) à 1’39″2
5- Adrien Fourmaux – Renaud Jamoul (FRA-BEL / Ford) at 1’45 ″ 1

Special winners
Ogier: 6 (ES1, ES7, ES9, ES10, ES11, ES14)
Neuville: 4 (ES2, ES3, ES6, ES8)
Rovanperä: 2 (ES4, ES5)
Katsuta: 1 (ES7)
Today: 1 (ES12)
Deaf: 1 (ES13)
Evans : 1 (ES15)

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