Thierry Neuville has questioned a 10-second penalty for a jump start he believes resulted from a timing glitch during the Safari Rally Kenya, adding to his existing penalties. Despite earlier mechanical issues costing him significant time, he progressed to fourth place. Meanwhile, Ott Tänak leads the rally, significantly extending his advantage over competitors.
Thierry Neuville, a prominent driver for Hyundai in the World Rally Championship (WRC), has raised concerns about a 10-second penalty imposed due to an alleged jump start during the Safari Rally Kenya. This penalty adds to an already challenging penalty total of one minute and ten seconds for Neuville as he navigates the early stages of the event.
Neuville’s difficulties began on Thursday’s second stage, where a mechanical issue with his Hyundai i20 N resulted in a loss of 20 seconds. Consequently, his team had to replace the driveshaft and gearbox, which made Neuville six minutes late to stage three, resulting in a one-minute penalty. Despite these early setbacks, he successfully moved up from 18th to fourth place by stage six, where he incurred an additional penalty for a jump start, compounded by a puncture.
The Belgian driver is now seeking to appeal the 10-second penalty, attributing his early start to what he perceives as a malfunction within the timing system. Neuville expressed his disappointment regarding the challenges faced at the start of the rally, stating, “First of all we are very disappointed that we have already been hit by trouble at the start of the rally.” He further noted, “We need to analyse because we got a time penalty for leaving too early, but actually there was a problem with the timing system so we should get back that 10 seconds.”
Meanwhile, fellow Hyundai teammate Ott Tänak demonstrated outstanding performance, leading the rally by winning three out of four stages, thereby extending his lead from 2.4 seconds to 24.4 seconds by morning. As the competition progressed, Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera followed closely behind, marking their positions in the ranks. Notably, Takamoto Katsuta encountered difficulties that hindered his performance, while M-Sport’s drivers faced their own set of challenges amidst the harsh rally conditions.
In conclusion, Thierry Neuville contends that the 10-second penalty incurred during the Safari Rally Kenya results from a timing system error, amid an already difficult series of penalties due to mechanical issues. Ott Tänak’s dominant performance has significantly strengthened his lead, while other competitors grapple with distinctive challenges. As the event unfolds, the dynamics of the championship continue to shift, showcasing both resilience and adversity among the drivers.
Original Source: www.motorsport.com
