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Neuville keeps outside title hopes alive in Catalonia

motorsport26 October 2019 19:46| © AFP
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Thierry Neuville © Gallo Images

Belgium's Thierry Neuville in a Hyundai opened up a 21.5-second lead at the Rally of Catalonia on Saturday to keep his outside championship hopes alive but Estonia's Ott Tanak remained on course to clinch a first world title.

Tanak, in a Toyota, only needs to finish just two points ahead of Sebastien Ogier, who is chasing his seventh consecutive championship triumph, to claim victory in the 13th and penultimate round of the season, which ends in Australia next month.

After starting the day in fifth, Tanak registered four stage victories to move within touching distance of his maiden world title.

"This morning I wasn't feeling too relaxed but now I've been able to learn a bit and get into a rhythm. We would like to keep the pressure on but to take the time back will be difficult," said Tanak.

Neuville, who is 41 points behind in the standings and needs to win Barcelona to keep his slender hopes alive, came in ahead of Spaniard Dani Sordo in another Hyundai, with Tanak 24.6sec back in third.

"I've done my job so far and my teammates are really trying to help but obviously Tanak was fast this afternoon," said Neuville.

"We're going to try and finish the job we started yesterday morning and let's see whether Tanak can claim second or if he stays in third."

Ogier sits in eighth place, 4min 9sec off the pace but will be hoping for a resurgence on the last day on Sunday, which will include a Power Stage that awards bonus points in the standings.

Another Frenchman Sebastien Loeb, behind the wheel of a Hyundai and who had held the lead on Friday, dropped back to fourth, 25.2sec adrift of Neuville.

Sunday's finale begins with Riudecanyes (16.35km) and the tricky La Mussara stage (20.72km), which returns to the event for the first time since 2014.

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