Rally Sweden turning down to smart thinking, says Neuville | World Rally
The Belgian duo slowed down on stage four – the first test after lunchtime – in an attempt to preserve the life of their studded Pirellis before putting down the hammer in their I20 N.
Their approach worked well when they moved to fifth on SS5 before getting three more seats on SS6. The offensive continued into the final step where Toyota’s Elfyn Evans was helpless to stop them given that his tires were badly worn and gave less than ideal levels of grip.
“We were able to get back the time on the last two stages, which were a little cleaner and the last [Umea Sprint] was driven for the first time, so yes, a smart approach and a car that worked really well helped “, said Neuville whose last triumph at the Swedish counter came four seasons ago.
“The long stage – all 27 kilometers – was very tiring, a lot of gravel came out, so very early we could feel that the tire was getting hot, the studs started to move and they were also damaged. You just needed to slow down a bit and be a little less aggressive, he added.
Neuville had a cardiac arrest on the stretch of road to the SS3; up against time, he had to perform a check on his car’s energy recovery system. The E-kit’s battery pack failed the second test, but luckily he passed it under reg flag conditions after a Craig Breen accident.
“That was the only problem, otherwise the car was good. We made some small changes at lunchtime and the car worked well so it’s a good point, says Neuville, who feels that the team staff’s hard work to improve the I20 N’s pace and reliability between Rallye Monte Carlo and Rally Sweden is clear for everyone to see. .
“After Monte Carlo we could not have imagined that we would have that speed this weekend but things have obviously become very positive so far and I am very happy for the team because they deserved it and to see some good times today is very promising and encouraging for all. “