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Thierry Neuville won the Acropolis Rally Greece after Sébastien Ogier crashed, while Sami Pajari triumphed in WRC2 on a tiebreak.
Thierry Neuville has triumphed in the World Rally Championship after a challenging Acropolis Rally Greece marking his first win in over seven months.
The event, famed for its rugged terrain and harsh conditions, proved too much for some including Sebastien Ogier who suffered a dramatic exit during the final stages of the competition.
Ogier, a key rival and former champion, was in recovery mode throughout the weekend following a turbo failure on Friday that cost him precious time. He had made significant progress by Sunday, only to roll his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 in a desperate push for victory on the powerstage.
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17:43 - 02.08.2024
FIA WRC 2024: Esapekka Lappi out of Rally Finland after hitting tree in treacherous stage
Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm retired from Rally Finland after their car hit a tree on a rutted stage.
The incident left him out of contention, clearing the way for Neuville to take a more cautious approach to secure the win.
“I didn’t have the information at all,” Neuville recounted as per DirtFish.
“When I saw the car, I was still not sure it was him and two kilometers later, I asked Martijn if it was Ogier and he said yes. I understood from that point on I just had to bring the car home.”
The rally also saw a fierce battle in the WRC2 category, with Sami Pajari and Robert Virves finishing with exactly the same total time after a dramatic final stage puncture for Pajari.
It was only the quicker time on the opening stage that handed Pajari the win, making it a nail-biting finish to an already intense weekend.
“It’s a big relief but a super tight fight with him,” said Pajari. “He also deserved the victory but it’s also really important for our championship hopes. It’s a super tricky rally and just nice to finish this way.”
Virves, who shared the overall fifth place with Pajari, expressed a mix of disappointment and respect for the outcome.
“You obviously think it could easily have been in the opposite way,” Virves admitted.
“But I think Sami deserves it, absolutely. He has been doing a good rally overall, following what he’s doing in WRC2, how he has been growing up as a driver, it’s fully fair he wins this time.”
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21:03 - 30.08.2024
Mass resignation rocks Kenya Rallies Commission amid leadership crisis at KMSF
The entire Kenya Rallies Commission, including prominent figures like WRC winner Ian Duncan, resigned on August 30 due to internal conflicts and a lack of effective leadership within the Kenya Motorsport Federation, which has eroded trust among stakeholders and negatively impacted the sport in Kenya.
Adding to the drama, Yohan Rossel, who rounded out the WRC2 podium and clinched seventh overall, also shared his struggles during the event.
Rossel had a promising start but faced setbacks including a wheel change on Friday that cost him significant time.
“We had some small issue with gear change on the last stage,” said Virves, detailing the mechanical troubles that added to his challenges.
“Basically every time I pushed the gear lever down, it stopped further and further, so I had to slow down on the braking just to not break it. If you think about it, maybe not the best time for this.”
Rossel reflected on his performance and the high level of competition in the rally.
“I think we deserve a victory for sure but the level is so high that when you did a mistake, it’s impossible to win,” he stated.
“It’s the elite, it’s normal.”
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