Rally Turkey takes its toll as Neuville leads after seven stages 14.09.2018: RALLY TURKEY, September 13-16, 2018 FIA World Rally Championship, round 10 Dust, rocks, high temperatures and abrasive gravel took their toll on leading crews taking part in Rally Turkey, the FIA World Rally Championship’s

RALLY TURKEY, September 13-16, 2018
FIA World Rally Championship, round 10

Dust, rocks, high temperatures and abrasive gravel took their toll on leading crews taking part in Rally Turkey, the FIA World Rally Championship’s new-look addition to the calendar.
 


A mere 2.6 seconds separated the top three at the end of an enthralling opening leg of seven special stages with Hyundai’s championship leader Thierry Neuville holding the outright lead.




The Belgian headed defending World Champion Sébastien Ogier by just 3/100ths of a second after 146.84km of competitive action. Norwegian driver Andreas Mikkelsen rounded off the top three.
 


Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Jari-Matti Latvala stayed out of trouble to hold fourth position and Estonia’s Ott Tänak climbed to fifth at the expense of Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon with the fastest time on the last stage of the day.




 A costly slow puncture and further tyre issues dropped a despondent Craig Breen from second to an eventual eighth place behind Esapekka Lappi, while Teemu Suninen was ninth in the third of the M-Sport Fords.
 


The rate of attrition was relatively low on the first loop of three treacherously rough and dusty special stages, but the deteriorating road surface caused havoc late in the day. Punctures abounded and both Ford’s Elfyn Evans and Citroën’s Mads Østberg damaged their front suspension on the penultimate special of the day and retired.
 


WRC 2 runners didn’t escape the mayhem either and both title favourites, Jan Kopecký and Pontus Tidemand, suffered a double puncture on the fifth stage and fell back into the chasing pack.
 


After delays for Kajetan Kajetanowicz and disappointment for Murat Bostanci, Pedro Heller and Simone Tempestini, Chris Ingram was the main beneficiary. He led with one stage to go before slipping back to second, 16.3 seconds behind a resurgent Kopecký, as Tidemand dropped a further 50 seconds with ongoing tyre woes.
 



Veteran Henning Solberg was enjoying a superb return to the WRC and held 10th overall heading to the final stage. Germany’s Julius Tannert was the class of the JWRC field after six special stages. Ireland’s Callum Devine and Estonia’s Ken Torn were second and third.
 



2018 Rally Turkey – positions after SS7 (unofficial @17.20hrs):




1. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                   1hr 52min 28.2sec


2. Sébastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Ford Fiesta WRC                                             1hr 52min 28.5sec


3. Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Anders Jaeger Synnevaag (NOR) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC        1hr 52min 30.8sec


4. Jari-Matti Latvala(FIN)/Miikka Anttila (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC                                               1hr 52min 44.5sec


5. Ott Tänak (EST)/Martin Järveoja (EST) Toyota Yaris WRC                                                          1hr 53min 00.1sec


6. Hayden Paddon (NZL)/Sebastian Marshall (GBR) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                          1hr 53min 03.3sec


7. Esapekka Lappi (FIN)/Janne Ferm (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC                                                      1hr 53min 05.0sec


8. Craig Breen (IRL)/Scott Martin (GBR) Citroën C3 WRC                                                                1hr 53min 18.3sec


9. Teemu Suninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Ford Fiesta WRC                                               1hr 53min 31.1sec
 




Atil Atilgan- Neil Perkins also photos