Thierry Neuville battled illness, penalties and car issues to claim a heroic podium in a punishing Safari Rally Kenya.
Belgian rally driver Thierry Neuville overcame a host of challenges to claim third place at a grueling Safari Rally Kenya.
The 2024 edition of the legendary African event delivered chaos and heartbreak for many but none more than Neuville whose rally unravelled almost as soon as it began.
The defending world champion had an event plagued by time penalties, mechanical issues and even illness but he eventually climbed onto the podium behind teammate Ott Tanak and rally winner Elfyn Evans.
Karabo Letebele is embracing his newfound fame after shocking Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, with a stunning victory at the ASA Grand Prix.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Athletics News in Kenya from Pulse Sports.
Neuville began being haunted troubles began on Friday morning with a one-minute penalty after a gearbox change exceeded the service time window.
The 38-year-old driver then encountered further setbacks, including a 50-second penalty for lateness following roadside repairs to the i20 N Rally1’s cooling system followed by another 10 seconds for a jump start on SS5.
“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].”
)
These jets illustrate the luxurious lifestyle that comes with being a top-tier football player and each has unique features and capabilities.
The punishment did not end there as Saturday’s opening stage saw Neuville stop mid-stage to change a wheel. Another puncture on the penultimate test compounded the already towering list of problems.
Neuville revealed post-rally that he had felt unwell throughout the weekend, suspecting heat exhaustion, and had been unable to sleep on Friday night ahead of one of the toughest legs of the rally.
“You’re fighting for a whole week,” he explained.
“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 opted to run its older-specification i20 N Rally1 car in Kenya in search of improved reliability. While Neuville supported the decision, lingering technical concerns remain on his radar.
“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 said.
“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.”
)
Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had all good things to say about Kenyans after scoring twice to all but end Harambee Stars’ World Cup qualification hopes.
Despite the brutal run of setbacks, Neuville now sits second in the drivers’ championship standings, 36 points adrift of Elfyn Evans, who has taken two wins from the opening three rounds.
